Senate Security Chief Mao Aplasca Faces Controversy Amid Dela Rosa ICC Warrant Crisis

Mao Aplasca, a retired police general and close ally of Senator Ronald dela Rosa, has encountered significant turmoil shortly after his reappointment as Senate Sergeant-at-Arms in the Philippines. The situation escalated when the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his role in the Duterte-era drug war. Aplasca ordered a lockdown of the Senate building, leading to a tense standoff that resulted in an exchange of warning shots between his Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms personnel and NBI operatives. During the chaos, Dela Rosa managed to evade capture. Compounding these issues, the Ombudsman has issued a suspension order against Aplasca. The incident highlights the deep personal and professional ties between the two Davaoeño former police generals, dating back to their Philippine Military Academy days. This series of events has triggered multiple lockdowns and drawn intense media scrutiny, marking an unprecedented period of drama within the Senate involving high-level security conflicts and legal challenges surrounding prominent political figures.