Philippines Probes Reports of ICC-Wanted Senator Dela Rosa Fleeing Senate

Philippine authorities are investigating unconfirmed reports that Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his alleged role in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly anti-drug crackdown, has secretly fled the Senate building. Presidential communications undersecretary Clare Castro stated that while sources indicate the senator left the heavily guarded premises undetected before dawn, official confirmation of his whereabouts is still pending. No arrest operations have been launched yet. The situation follows days of tension after dela Rosa evaded initial arrest attempts and took refuge in the Senate, protected by allies. Chaos escalated when gunshots were fired inside the Senate, prompting an ongoing investigation. President Ferdinand Marcos denied government involvement in the shooting, suggesting it might be an attempt to destabilize the administration. Police have detained one individual in connection with the incident, while interior officials claimed security forces fired warning shots at unknown armed men. Dela Rosa, a former police chief under Duterte, is named as a co-perpetrator in the ICC case regarding thousands of killings during the drug war.