A chaotic standoff gripped the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, May 13, as gunfire erupted within the building while authorities attempted to serve an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
The violence broke out late Wednesday afternoon, sending employees and journalists diving for cover. Security personnel in camouflage fatigues were seen patrolling the hallways with weapons drawn as the building transitioned into a high-security lockdown.
Senator dela Rosa, who has been under “protective custody” in the Senate since surfacing on Monday, had earlier called on his supporters to gather at the GSIS building to prevent what he described as an impending arrest.
“We should not allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague, the second one after President Duterte. This is unacceptable.”
The tension follows a major leadership shakeup on Monday, where dela Rosa cast a deciding vote in the ouster of Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. The new Senate President, Alan Peter Cayetano—who was elected in a 13-9-2 vote—immediately asserted that the chamber would not recognize the ICC warrant without a local court order.
“For the information, the initial report of the sergeant-at-arms is that the NBI is claiming that they’re here to arrest Senator Bato but they do not have an arrest warrant.”
Despite the presence of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents and former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who presented the unsealed ICC documents to the media, dela Rosa remains inside the Senate premises. The unsealed warrant, issued on November 6, 2025, accuses the former police chief of crimes against humanity involving the deaths of at least 32 people during the administration’s anti-drug campaign.
The Senate remains under heavy guard as officials launch an investigation into the gunfire and the presence of law enforcement within the legislative halls.