Philippines Suspends Senate Security Chief After Shootout and ICC Suspect's Escape
The Philippines' Ombudsman has ordered a six-month preventive suspension of Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca following a chaotic shootout inside the Senate building on May 13, 2026. The incident occurred during an attempt by National Bureau of Investigation agents to arrest Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a key figure in former President Duterte’s war on drugs who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Aplasca admitted to firing a warning shot at law enforcement officers, an act condemned by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla as intolerable. Following the standoff, Dela Rosa fled the premises before dawn, an action officials described as an indication of guilt. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for calm and denied government involvement in the escape. The Ombudsman emphasized that the suspension is necessary to ensure an impartial investigation into the security breach and the subsequent flight of the senator. This event highlights escalating tensions between Philippine legislative protections and international legal obligations regarding human rights abuses.
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