ICC-wanted senator flees Philippine Senate after gunfire

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, wanted by the ICC for crimes against humanity tied to Duterte’s drug war, fled the Philippine Senate early Thursday after gunfire erupted Wednesday night.cbsnews
The ICC unsealed a warrant Monday charging dela Rosa with the murder of at least 32 people during 2016–2018; NBI agents failed to arrest him as allied senators granted him protective custody.apnews
Police have detained one suspect in the shooting and are probing whether it was orchestrated as a distraction, according to Reuters; dela Rosa’s whereabouts remain unknown.reuters

ICC Suspect Dela Rosa Flees Philippine Senate After Gunfire

Philippine Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity, escaped the Senate building early Thursday after a dramatic standoff that saw gunfire erupt inside the legislative chamber, sending journalists and staff scrambling for cover.

Gunfire and Escape

Dela Rosa, 64, had been sheltered under Senate “protective custody” since Monday, May 11, when the ICC confirmed it had unsealed an arrest warrant charging him with the murder of “no less than 32 persons” between July 2016 and late April 2018. National Bureau of Investigation agents attempted to arrest him that day, but security footage showed dela Rosa sprinting through Senate corridors and up staircases to reach the plenary hall, where fellow senators placed him under their protection.cbsnews

The crisis escalated Wednesday evening when gunshots rang out inside the Senate building at around 7:30 p.m., according to an Associated Press journalist and other witnesses present. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said unidentified armed individuals had attempted to access the Senate’s second floor but were stopped by a member of the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms, who fired a warning shot. No injuries were reported.youtube

Dela Rosa departed the heavily guarded building in the hours that followed, with NBC News reporting that the gunfire “seemingly created a distraction that enabled the senator to make his exit”. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano confirmed that dela Rosa had left the premises, asserting there was “no obstruction of justice”. Philippine palace officials also confirmed his departure, though his whereabouts remain unknown. Police said they had apprehended one suspect in connection with the shooting and were investigating whether the incident was orchestrated to facilitate the escape.nbcnews

Marcos Responds, Rights Groups Condemn

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for calm and insisted his government had no involvement in the shooting, stating that government forces did not attempt to enter the Senate to apprehend dela Rosa. He ordered an investigation into the incident.cnn

Amnesty International Philippines called on authorities to arrest dela Rosa immediately and surrender him to The Hague. “Dela Rosa held a key role in the implementation of the so-called ‘war on drugs’ under the administration of former President Duterte, responsible for command and direction over the police,” said Ritz Lee Santos III, executive director of Amnesty International Philippines.amnesty

Drug War Reckoning

The warrant against dela Rosa, originally issued in November 2025 and unsealed on Monday, is part of the ICC’s broader investigation into killings committed during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, which rights groups say claimed thousands of lives. Duterte himself was arrested in March 2025 and transferred to The Hague, where he is currently in detention awaiting trial on charges of murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity. Dela Rosa has consistently denied the allegations and vowed to fight the ICC’s jurisdiction, saying he would answer only to Philippine courts.apnews