Gunfire rocks Philippine Senate: Suspect held as Senator ‘Bato’ slips away before dawn — report
Shots fired, no casualties as ex-Duterte drug war enforcer hides in legislature
Manila: Police said Thursday they detained a person in connection with gunfire the previous night inside the Philippine senate, where a lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) took refuge.
The shooting did not result in any casualties.
It came as Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, the one-time enforcer of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drug crackdown, sheltered at the legislature.
On Wednesday evening and into Thursday, May 14, 2026, the Philippine Senate was placed under "lockdown" following a tense standoff and reported gunfire, triggered by an attempt to arrest Senator Dela Rosa.
The arrest attempt, linked to an International Criminal Court (ICC) probe into the drug war, led to scenes of chaos involving law enforcement within the building.
'Help me': Senator Bato dela Rosa
"I am appealing to you, I hope you can help me. Do not allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague," Dela Rosa said in a video on Facebook from his Senate office, where he has taken refuge since Monday when placed under legislative protection.
Local journalists later heard at least seven shots ring out at the Senate as those inside scrambled for cover.
Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza said people he believed to be agents of the justice ministry's National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had attempted to enter the Senate and fired shots as they retreated.
But NBI Director Melvin Matibag told GMA News that no agents were there.
Meanwhile, on Thursday morning, local media reported that Dela Rosa had "left" the Senate building at around 2:30 am, citing another senator who based the information from a member of the Senate secretariat.
Senate shooting
It was not immediately clear how many suspects were involved in the shooting, with Philippine authorities saying investigation was ongoing.
"He (suspect) was arrested at the area of the incident, at the second floor of the senate building," Philippine police spokesman Brigadier-General Randulf Tuano told reporters.
Police seized live ammunition from the man, who was being tested for gunshot residue.
Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla had said senate security fired "warning shots" at several unknown armed men who had gone up the senate stairway.
Barricade
The gunmen later fired into the air and left, he added, while senators, including the fugitive Dela Rosa, barricaded themselves inside their offices.
Senator Ronald Dela Rosa took refuge in the senate aiming to avoid arrest on a warrant from the ICC for the crime against humanity of murder.
Dela Rosa, known as "Bato", served as national police chief from 2016 to 2018 during the early phase of Duterte's anti-drug campaign.
The crackdown left thousands dead, many of them drug users and low-level narcotics peddlers, according to human rights monitors.
His boss Duterte was arrested in March last year, flown to the Netherlands on the same day, and is detained in The Hague awaiting trial.
Senate standoff: Key details
The incident: Multiple gunshots were heard around 7:30 pm on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) inside the Senate, prompting a lockdown.
Targeted arrest: Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, a top ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was the target of an arrest attempt in connection with his role in the drug war, for which the ICC is pursuing investigations.
Status of Dela Rosa: Dela Rosa was reported safe and remained inside the Senate, resisting the arrest, but later slipped away from the arresting officers at 2.30am, according to the Senate secretariat.
Reactions: President Marcos Jr. has vowed to investigate the shooting.
ICC investigations: The incident is part of the ongoing crackdown on figures involved in the previous administration's "war on drugs." Former President Duterte was already arrested and is in custody at The Hague as of early 2025.
Political atmosphere: Protesters had gathered to demand the detention of Dela Rosa, while the Senate security and members faced a significant breach of protocol during the attempt, which was characterised by some reports as a confrontation between armed personnel.
Legal standing: Dela Rosa's legal team has appealed to the Supreme Court to halt any potential extradition.
Top court's stand: The Philippine Supreme Court on Wednesday, May 13, withheld a temporary restraining order (TRO) that would have blocked his possible arrest, following a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Comments sought: The High Court instead directed respondents to file their respective comments within 72 hours of receipt of the SC resolution.
Justices to vote: This means that a decision on Dela Rosa’s urgent manifestation seeking a TRO to block the warrant for his arrest will not be issued until Friday next week. The justices will vote on whether or not to grant the TRO request only after receiving a comment and reply from the parties involved.
