MANILA – Former Senate sergeant-at-arms Mao Aplasca on Wednesday filed his counter-affidavit to the direct assault charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors in line with the shooting incident on May 13 at the Senate premises.
Speaking to reporters during the preliminary investigation, Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Polo Martinez said the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) was given until Nov. 6 to file a reply to the counter-affidavit.
Martinez said other Senate Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) officials named as respondents had filed their counter-affidavits ahead of Aplasca.
“The PNP-CIDG have until November 6 to file a reply if they opt to after which the respondents may in turn file their rejoinder affidavit,” Martinez said.
The prosecution has set Nov. 13 as the tentative deadline for the submission of all documents.
“After which the prosecutors will determine if there is prima facie to file case,” Martinez said.
The Office of the Ombudsman earlier ordered Aplasca’s dismissal from the service after finding him administratively liable for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty over the shooting incident inside the Senate premises.
The Ombudsman ruled that Aplasca’s decision to fire warning shots during the incident was unjustified, endangered lives, violated established rules on the use of force and reflected a flagrant disregard of his duties as the Senate official primarily responsible for maintaining security and order within the Senate premises.
Aplasca said he believed unidentified armed individuals posed a threat to the Senate and that the warning shots were necessary. (PNA)
