Gunfire Erupts in Philippine Senate as Senator Dela Rosa Evades ICC Arrest

Chaos engulfed the Philippines’ Senate on Wednesday night following gunshots fired within its premises, where Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was hiding to evade arrest. Police identified a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) driver as the suspect in the shooting. Dela Rosa, a former police chief and key enforcer of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war, is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity. He had claimed his arrest by NBI and police operatives was imminent and appealed to supporters for help. Although President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. denied ordering the arrest, tensions remain high amid a political rift with the Duterte dynasty. The Senate, led by a Duterte ally, granted Dela Rosa protective custody before he escaped early Thursday. This incident occurs months after Duterte’s own arrest and detention in The Hague. Dela Rosa has not appeared publicly in months and has sought Supreme Court intervention to block the ICC warrant, maintaining his innocence regarding the thousands of deaths linked to the national anti-drug campaign.