The Senate compound was placed under a full security lockdown on Monday afternoon after agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), accompanied by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, allegedly attempted to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
The high-stakes confrontation unfolded moments after Dela Rosa resurfaced at the Senate, marking his first appearance in six months following rumors of an impending arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Surveillance footage reportedly showed NBI agents chasing the senator and his staff through the hallways as he made his way to the session hall.
In a swift response, newly installed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano ordered the detention of the NBI personnel involved, citing them in contempt of the chamber.
“Stand by daw kami. Stand by tayo pare-parehas,” NBI Director Melvin Matibag told members of the media, who were also caught in the perimeter lockdown outside the Pasay City premises.
The tension escalated during the plenary session when Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva moved to hold the agents in contempt for “blocking” a sitting member of the Senate from performing his constitutional duties. Cayetano approved the motion, asserting the chamber’s jurisdiction over its own grounds.
The incident occurred despite a statement from the ICC over the weekend clarifying that “no public arrest warrants” had been issued against the senator.
Dela Rosa has been in hiding since November 2025, following the arrest and surrender of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the ICC in March of that year.
As of Monday evening, no individual is allowed to enter or leave the Senate compound as the leadership reviews the security breach.