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CHAOS swept through the Philippine Senate on Tuesday after volleys of gunfire were heard inside the legislative complex while security forces attempted to enter the building amid mounting fears that Senator Ronald dela Rosa was facing imminent arrest over crimes against humanity charges issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Lawmakers, staff and journalists scrambled for cover as confusion spread through the Senate compound in Manila. Despite the panic, Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza later confirmed there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Reuters reported on Thursday that the dramatic security incident unfolded just hours after dela Rosa — former national police chief and chief enforcer of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody “war on drugs” — publicly appealed for support to prevent his transfer to The Hague.
“I am appealing to you, I hope you can help me. Do not allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague,” dela Rosa said in a Facebook video recorded from his Senate office, where he has remained under legislative protection since May 11.
The Hague-based ICC unsealed an arrest warrant against the 64-year-old senator on May 11, accusing him of crimes against humanity linked to the anti-drugs crackdown that left thousands dead. The charges mirror those already filed against Duterte, who was transferred to ICC custody in 2025 and is awaiting trial.
Dela Rosa has repeatedly denied involvement in unlawful killings.
Mendoza said officers believed to be from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) attempted to enter the Senate complex before gunshots were fired during their retreat. However, NBI director Melvin Matibag denied that any bureau personnel had been deployed to the Senate.
“I spoke with the (justice) minister and he told me to await instructions. We have no preparations whatsoever,” Matibag told GMA News.
Reuters journalists at the scene reported that more than 10 military personnel in camouflage uniforms later arrived at the Senate, several carrying assault rifles.
Military public affairs chief Xerxes Trinidad said troops had been deployed after the Senate requested assistance “to assist them in securing the facility”.
Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla said authorities had yet to determine who fired the shots and that security footage would need to be reviewed. He also sought to calm tensions by assuring the public that dela Rosa was safe and would not be arrested.
The ICC prosecutor’s office declined to comment directly, referring enquiries to the court itself, whose press office did not immediately respond.
Dela Rosa served as Duterte’s closest security lieutenant during the former president’s ruthless anti-drugs campaign, which rights groups say was marked by systematic executions and police cover-ups.
Philippine police have consistently denied allegations of extrajudicial killings, maintaining that the more than 6,000 suspects killed during anti-drug operations were armed and resisted arrest.
Human rights advocates, however, argue the true death toll is far higher, with countless urban poor residents allegedly killed in vigilante-style attacks across the country.
Tensions remained high around the Senate throughout Tuesday, with heavily armed police securing the area as rival protesters gathered outside. Some demonstrators demanded dela Rosa’s immediate arrest, while supporters rallied behind the senator, widely known in the Philippines by his nickname “Bato”, meaning “rock”.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, a political ally of dela Rosa, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had assured him no government personnel were involved in the incident inside the Senate.
Marcos later urged calm in a public video statement, insisting he had issued no order for dela Rosa’s arrest.
“We will get to the bottom of this,” the president said.
Dela Rosa, who resurfaced publicly on May 11 after months away from public view, has also petitioned the Philippine Supreme Court to block any transfer to the ICC. The court has given all parties 72 hours to respond.
The senator argues that any surrender to the ICC would be unlawful because the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2018 under Duterte’s administration after prosecutors launched a preliminary examination into the anti-drugs campaign.
The ICC maintains it retains jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed while the Philippines was still a member state.
Duterte, 81, is poised to become the first former Asian head of state to stand trial before the ICC. During his presidency, he repeatedly dared the court to prosecute him, once declaring he was prepared to “rot in jail” to protect Filipinos from illegal drugs.
His legal team continues to maintain his innocence. - May 14, 2026
