The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has clarified the results of the paraffin test administered to Mel Oragon, the volunteer driver suspected of firing a gun during the Senate incident on May 13. NBI Director Melvin Matibag explained that although Oragon tested positive for gunpowder residue, it does not conclusively prove that he fired a weapon.
Possible Transfer of Gunpowder Residue
According to Matibag, the gunpowder residue could have been transferred to Oragon from other individuals or surfaces. He noted that Oragon was brought to the Senate and made to lie down in the exact area where the Senate Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA) personnel had discharged their firearms. “For example, if someone who handled you had gunpowder on their hands, it could transfer to you, to your body… He was made to lie down where the OSAA personnel actually fired their guns. There is a lot of gunpowder there, for sure. So that’s a possibility,” Matibag explained.
Oragon's Denial and Evidence
Oragon has consistently denied being the one who fired the gun during the chaos at the Senate. He insists that there is video evidence proving he was unarmed at the time of the incident. The NBI’s statement raises questions about the reliability of paraffin tests in such circumstances, especially when contamination is possible.
The investigation into the Senate shooting continues, with authorities looking into all possible angles to determine the truth behind the incident.
