Gunshots erupted at the Philippine Senate in Manila on Wednesday, sending lawmakers, staff and visitors scrambling for cover amid fears Senator Ronald dela Rosa was about to be detained over an International Criminal Court warrant.
No casualties were immediately reported, Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza told reporters, as confusion persisted over who had opened fire.
Mendoza said law enforcement personnel, believed to be from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), had attempted to gain access to the Senate complex before shots were fired as they withdrew. The NBI, however, denied any involvement, with Director Melvin Matibag saying no agents had been deployed.
At the centre of the unfolding standoff is Senator Ronald dela Rosa, a former national police chief and a key enforcer of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial “war on drugs”.
Earlier in the day, dela Rosa warned that his arrest was imminent following the unsealing of an ICC warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity. Speaking in a video posted from his Senate office, where he has sought refuge under legislative protection, he appealed for public support.
“I am appealing to you, I hope you can help me. Do not allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague,” he said.
The 64-year-old lawmaker has strongly denied any role in illegal killings linked to the anti-drug campaign.
As tensions escalated, more than a dozen armed military personnel were deployed to the Senate complex. The armed forces said they had been asked to help secure the facility, while police formed cordons outside as protesters gathered.
Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla said it remained unclear who had fired the gunshots and that security footage would be reviewed. He also sought to reassure the public, stating that dela Rosa was safe and insisting no arrest operation was under way.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr echoed that message, urging calm and denying any government order to detain the senator.
“We will get to the bottom of this,” he said in a video statement, adding that authorities were investigating the incident.
The chaos follows a major escalation in the long-running ICC investigation into the Philippines’ anti-drug campaign. The Hague-based court earlier this week unsealed an arrest warrant for dela Rosa on charges of crimes against humanity - the same charges facing former president Duterte, who is already awaiting trial after his transfer to the Netherlands.
Dela Rosa has filed an emergency petition with the Philippine Supreme Court seeking to block any attempt to hand him over to the ICC, arguing that such a move would be unlawful because the Philippines withdrew from the court in 2018. The ICC maintains it has jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the country was still a member.
Dela Rosa was widely seen as Duterte’s top lieutenant during a brutal crackdown that left thousands of suspected drug dealers dead. Police have consistently maintained that those killed were armed and resisted arrest.
However, human rights groups have accused authorities of systematic extrajudicial killings and cover-ups, with activists arguing the true death toll could be far higher, including victims of vigilante-style attacks in poorer communities.
The unfolding standoff has further heightened political tensions, with crowds gathering outside the heavily guarded Senate. Some called for dela Rosa’s arrest, while others backed the embattled lawmaker.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he le...
Britain will introduce new legislation aimed at strengthening ties with the European Union as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to rebuild economic...
Türkiye has completed formal preparations to begin direct commercial activity w...
A new trilateral energy partnership involving Uzbekneftegaz, Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and BP has been announced during Uzbekistan...
U.S. President Donald Trump’s three-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping ...
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has again been impeached by the country’s lower house, more than a year after an earlier impeachment complaint against her was dismissed on constitutional grounds.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 8th of May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Leaders of Southeast Asian nations gathered in the Philippines on 8 May for an ASEAN summit focused heavily on the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict, with member states seeking a coordinated response to rising energy and food security risks.
The Middle East crisis is set to dominate the ASEAN summit on 8 May, shifting focus away from regional diplomacy.
Kuwait arrested four members of an IRGC-linked group as they tried to enter the country by sea, the Gulf state's KUNA news agency reported on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a senior IRGC officer said Iran had expanded its definition of the Strait of Hormuz to include a far wider area.
Biological samples from an Italian man were transferred to a specialist hospital for testing on Tuesday, after he was suspected of contracting hantavirus. Meanwhile, World Health Organization boss Tedros Ghebreyesus said there were “no sign” of a larger outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise.
Exclusive flight-tracking material obtained by AnewZ has raised new questions about French military aircraft movements linked to President Emmanuel Macron’s recent diplomacy with Armenia and the wider scope of France’s defence cooperation with Yerevan.
Just one week after a similar move by Australia, Greece announced that it will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 from January 1, 2027, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not think he will need China's help to end the war with Iran as he left for a high-stakes summit in Beijing on Tuesday, as hopes for a lasting peace deal dwindled and Tehran tightened its grip over the Strait of Hormuz.
Deep in the ancient forests of southern China, researchers have discovered a small, shy snake with an extraordinary survival trick: when threatened, it creates the illusion that it has two heads.
Britain will introduce new legislation aimed at strengthening ties with the European Union as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to rebuild economic relations with the bloc while facing growing political pressure at home.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s three-day summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, beginning on Wednesday (13 May), comes as rivalry between the two superpowers reaches new heights, a China analyst has said.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has met Norway’s newly appointed special envoy for Afghanistan, Bjørn Hansen, to discuss political and regional issues, the Foreign Ministry said.
U.S. President Donald Trump received a lavish welcome in Beijing on Wednesday as he began a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, accompanied by senior business leaders including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Elon Musk.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment