Philippine senator flees Senate after gunfire during ICC

Manila, Philippines — May 13, 2026 Gunfire broke out in the Philippine Senate on Wednesday night as National Bureau of Investigation agents attempted to arrest Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity. ## Chaos and Escape Senate President Alan Cayetano briefly addressed journalists, confirming that security personnel reported gunfire but providing no further details before hastily departing. "The emotions are high here," Cayetano said. "This is the Senate of the Philippines and we are allegedly under attack." Reporters and photographers covering the tense standoff were instructed to remain on the second floor as the situation unfolded. Later, Cayetano announced that dela Rosa had fled the building. "The sergeant at arms has confirmed that Senator Bato is no longer in the building," Cayetano said, using dela Rosa's nickname. He added that the senator's wife had sent a message confirming her husband "made his escape." The gunfire erupted during an argument between Senate security and a government agent, sparking chaos that apparently allowed dela Rosa to slip away. "There is no obstruction of justice," Cayetano insisted regarding the senator's flight from protective custody. ## ICC Charges and Political Backlash Dela Rosa, 64, faces an ICC arrest warrant issued in November 2025, charging him with crimes against humanity for the murder of "no less than 32 persons" between July 2016 and April 2018. At the time, he led the national police force under former President Rodrigo Duterte, overseeing a brutal anti-drug campaign marked by widespread killings. The senator has vowed to fight the ICC order, declaring, "If I have something to answer for, I will face those in our local courts and not before foreigners." He blamed his predicament on political maneuvering, telling supporters in a Facebook message: "We should not allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague, the second one after President Duterte." Duterte himself was arrested in March 2025 and transferred to the ICC's detention facility in The Hague. His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, accused current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of enabling what she called "the kidnapping" of her father. Dela Rosa defended his role in the drug war, stating, "My role was to lead the war on drugs, and that war on drugs was not meant to annihilate people." He added, "When the lives of police officers came under threat, of course they needed to defend themselves." ## Senate Division and Legal Standoff The Senate remains deeply divided over dela Rosa's case. Five senators introduced a resolution urging him to surrender, but his allies blocked the measure during a heated debate on Wednesday. The faction loyal to dela Rosa, comprising 13 of the 24 senators, seized control of the Senate leadership on Monday. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019, a move critics say was intended to evade accountability for human rights violations. Dela Rosa's escape raises further questions about the government's ability to enforce international warrants. As of Thursday, authorities have not clarified what triggered the gunfire or whether there were injuries during the incident. The Senate chamber remains under heightened security, with dela Rosa's whereabouts unknown.

Gunfire Erupts in Philippine Senate as Police Attempt to Arrest Senator Wanted by ICC

Chaos and Escape

ICC Charges and Political Backlash

Senate Division and Legal Standoff