Gunfire Erupts at Philippine Senate During Attempt to Arrest Ex-Police Chief
Gunshots rang out at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday as authorities attempted to arrest Senator Ronald dela Rosa over murder charges linked to the country’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
The incident triggered panic and confusion inside the Senate complex in Manila, where armed security personnel and military officers rushed through the building after the shots were heard. No casualties were reported, and officials said it remained unclear who fired the gunshots or what prompted the incident.
Dela Rosa, a former national police chief and close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged crimes against humanity tied to thousands of killings during the government’s anti-drug crackdown between 2016 and 2018.
The senator had been under the protection of allied lawmakers since Monday after resurfacing following months away from public view. Authorities from the National Bureau of Investigation reportedly attempted to arrest him earlier in the week, but he sought refuge inside the Senate chamber.
Senate President Alan Cayetano confirmed tensions were high after the gunfire incident.
“This is the Senate of the Philippines, and we are allegedly under attack,” Cayetano told journalists shortly after the incident.
Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla Jr., who later arrived at the Senate alongside senior police officials, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered security forces to secure the area and ensure the safety of lawmakers. He clarified that officials were not there to arrest dela Rosa at that time.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the shooting, including a review of security camera footage to identify those responsible.
The ICC recently unsealed an arrest warrant against the 64-year-old senator, accusing him of involvement in the murder of at least 32 people during his tenure as police chief under Duterte. The warrant was originally issued in November.
Dela Rosa has rejected the charges and vowed to resist any attempt to extradite him to The Hague. In a message to supporters, he urged Filipinos to gather at the Senate to prevent what he described as an unlawful arrest.
“If I have something to answer for, I will face our local courts and not foreigners,” he told reporters.
Former President Duterte, who withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019, was arrested last year and transferred to the court’s headquarters in the Netherlands, where he remains in detention awaiting trial over the anti-drug killings.
The political tensions surrounding the case have deepened divisions in Philippine politics, particularly between allies of Duterte and the administration of President Marcos Jr. Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president’s daughter, has strongly criticised the government for cooperating with the ICC and allowing her father’s arrest.
Hundreds of police officers have remained stationed outside the Senate complex since Monday to maintain order amid fears of unrest.
