Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday alleged that a recent gunfire incident at the Senate was a choreographed event designed to manipulate public opinion and shield Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa from a pending International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
In a televised interview, Trillanes claimed the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms manufactured a security threat by discharging weapons into empty walls.
“It was a show. It was staged. Kailangan kasing makita eh. Kailangan marinig ng media, makita ng media nang gano’n. Pero hindi n’yo nakikita ‘yung nandudu’n sa kabilang hallway na pader lang ‘yung binabaril nila.”
The incident, which occurred Wednesday evening, reportedly involved Senate security firing 27 rounds, while unidentified groups allegedly fired five. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano immediately framed the event as a direct assault on the institution by armed elements.
Trillanes, however, dismissed the Senate chief’s narrative as political theater intended to prevent the service of the ICC warrant against Dela Rosa.
“Tapos after this, nanawagan na sila Cayetano sa livestreaming nila na ‘this Senate is being attacked.’ Sinong nag-atake sa kanila? Ang tanong dito, was it under siege? Kasi nakita natin what happened after. Alam n’yo ‘yung mga ganyang style ni Cayetano, ‘yung mga pahampas-hampas ng ano. Mga performative ano ‘yan eh.”
On Thursday, an emotional Cayetano doubled down on his account of the evening, vehemently denying any orchestration.
“The Senate is under attack! Was under attack! Napakagaling ko namang mag-orchestrate ng lahat na ‘yan, kaya kong papuntahin dito mga armadong grupo? You know my history! I’ve been in government since 1992! Do I have any history of doing that?”
The tension follows Trillanes’ arrival at the Senate on Monday with intent to serve the ICC warrant. The unsealed 16-page document charges Dela Rosa with crimes against humanity, specifically citing the deaths of at least 32 people during the height of the Duterte administration’s drug war.