In a significant incident at the Philippine Senate, Mao Aplasca, the acting chief of the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms, and two of his aides are facing criminal charges for discharging their firearms without provocation on May 13. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police has recommended these charges, citing a violation of the Private Security Services Industry Act. CIDG director Maj. Gen. Robert AA Morico II stated that Aplasca failed to follow established protocols that require a thorough assessment before using firearms. The investigation revealed that there was no imminent danger or unlawful aggression that justified the gunfire, which caused panic among Senate staff. Aplasca reportedly fired a warning shot after encountering an NBI agent, who was also armed but did not pose a threat. The incident stemmed from misunderstandings regarding security reinforcements requested by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) due to heightened tensions following a failed arrest attempt of a senator. Aplasca has disputed the accuracy of CCTV footage released by authorities, claiming it was selectively edited. Meanwhile, several Senate personnel have not complied with subpoenas to clarify the situation.