The Philippines locked down the Senate building after multiple gunshots were heard. Officials confirmed this was not an attempt to arrest the senator who sought refuge there to evade an ICC arrest warrant and are investigating who fired the shots.
On the evening of 13 May 2026, the Philippines ordered a lockdown of the Senate building in Manila following multiple gunshots and sightings of soldiers entering the building. It remains unclear who fired the shots, but officials reported no injuries or fatalities from the incident.
This incident occurred after Senator Ronald dela Rosa, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), took refuge inside the Senate. He had previously stated he expected to be arrested soon and urged Filipinos to prevent his detention. Authorities have since confirmed he is safe and under the care of a security team.
Dela Rosa faces ICC charges for mass killings during his tenure as police chief amid former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, which resulted in thousands of drug suspects being killed. Duterte has been detained in The Hague, home to the ICC, since March 2025.
Meanwhile, protesters gathered outside the Senate calling for dela Rosa’s arrest and extradition to stand trial alongside Duterte. Dela Rosa’s lawyers have filed an appeal with the Supreme Court to block the extradition.
The Philippine government confirmed that the gunfire was not an attempt to arrest dela Rosa and that an investigation is ongoing to identify the shooter.
Interior Minister Johnwick Remulla said the president issued a “clear order” to protect Senate members’ safety, adding that dela Rosa is “safe” and under security detail.
“We are not here to arrest Senator dela Rosa,” he said. “In fact, we are here to protect him. Let this be clear, and I have informed his family.” Remulla also noted no arrests have been made related to the shooting.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano appealed to the public to provide “any video footage that could assist the investigation” to authorities.
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Source:bbc