WATCH: First Footage of Gunshots Inside Philippine Senate During ICC Arrest Drama
Gunshots rang out inside the Philippine Senate on Wednesday during a tense standoff linked to the ICC arrest warrant against Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Viral videos show panic as staff and visitors ran for cover while heavily armed troops entered the building. Dela Rosa, accused of crimes against humanity over Duterte’s “war on drugs,” has taken refuge in his office and urged supporters to resist his arrest.
- World News
- 2 min read
Tension exploded inside the Philippine Senate on Wednesday after gunshots rang out during a dramatic standoff linked to the possible arrest of Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Videos circulating online showed panic inside the Senate complex as loud bursts of gunfire were heard and lawmakers’ staff were told to take cover. In one clip, people can be seen rushing through hallways while confusion spreads across the building.
The chaos unfolded as authorities prepared to potentially serve an arrest warrant against dela Rosa after the International Criminal Court (ICC) unsealed charges linked to the Philippines’ deadly anti-drug campaign.
More than 10 military personnel in camouflage uniforms were seen entering the Senate premises earlier in the day, some carrying assault rifles. It remains unclear who fired the shots or whether anyone was injured.
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Dela Rosa, a former police chief who led Duterte’s controversial “war on drugs”, has been staying inside the Senate building since Monday after narrowly avoiding arrest. Security footage from earlier this week allegedly showed the senator running through Senate corridors while agents attempted to catch him.
The senator later confirmed on Facebook that law enforcement officers were on their way following the ICC’s unsealing of an arrest warrant. He urged supporters to gather outside the Senate and oppose any move to send him to The Hague.
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“I am not calling for violence,” dela Rosa told reporters, while also appealing to members of the military and police to resist what he described as foreign interference.
The ICC accuses dela Rosa of crimes against humanity tied to thousands of killings during Duterte’s anti-drug crackdown. The former president himself was arrested last year and transferred to ICC custody.
As the situation escalated Wednesday evening, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano posted a video from inside the building questioning why heavily armed forces were surrounding the Senate.
“This is the Senate of the Philippines. What is happening?” Cayetano said in the video, as staff reportedly remained locked inside offices amid fears of further violence.
The standoff marks the latest flashpoint in the deepening political battle between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the powerful Duterte family, whose alliance has collapsed in recent months.