Several gunshots fired late Wednesday sparked panic at the Senate of the Philippines, forcing senators to take cover inside their offices while an ICC-wanted lawmaker sought refuge within the Senate complex.
According to an AFP journalist at the scene, at least five gunshots were heard during the tense incident. No casualties were reported, while authorities launched operations to track down the armed individuals responsible for the shooting.
Philippine Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla confirmed that Senator Ronald Dela Rosa remained inside the building during the incident.
A television reporter was reportedly seen breaking down in tears while delivering a live report from the scene, while Senator Robin Padilla urged journalists to leave the area.
The dramatic situation unfolded as Dela Rosa, a former top enforcer under former president Rodrigo Duterte, stayed inside the Senate compound to avoid arrest and extradition to the Netherlands over allegations of crimes against humanity linked to Duterte’s anti-drug crackdown.
Remulla said Dela Rosa remained safe under the protection of security personnel.
“He is with security staff. He has been informed about our activities. We have assured him that no arrest warrant will be served,” he said.
Meanwhile, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that security personnel inside and around the Senate complex did not fire any shots.
Marcos said agents attempting to arrest Dela Rosa had been instructed to stand down after the Supreme Court ordered the government to explain its actions earlier on Wednesday.
“What we need to do now is tell the public to remain calm, and we will investigate this matter thoroughly. We will identify those behind this chaos,” Marcos said in a televised address.
Dela Rosa had earlier appealed to the Supreme Court to stop authorities from arresting and surrendering him to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He served as chief of the Philippine National Police from 2016 to 2018 during the early phase of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
Duterte’s crackdown on narcotics resulted in thousands of deaths, many involving suspected small-time drug users and dealers, according to human rights organisations.
The former president was arrested in March last year, flown to the Netherlands on the same day and remains detained in The Hague pending trial.
