Uniformed armed men are seen inside the Philippine Senate on May 13, 2026. MANILA BULLETIN

Gunshots rang out at the Senate of the Philippines on Wednesday (May 13), triggering panic and a lockdown at the legislative complex as tensions escalated over Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity. Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief and key enforcer of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, has denied wrongdoing and had urged supporters to prevent what he described as an illegal arrest. The ICC accuses him of “alleged criminal responsibility as an indirect co-perpetrator” in killings linked to the drug war between July 3, 2016 and April 2018, in which at least 32 people allegedly died. Dela Rosa insists the ICC has no jurisdiction because the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2018. The court maintains it retains jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed while the country was still a member. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said in a video statement that the source of the gunfire remained unclear but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. later denied ordering Dela Rosa’s arrest. “We will get to the bottom of this,” Marcos said. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag denied reports that NBI agents attempted to arrest the senator, saying no agents had been deployed inside the Senate and that their personnel were only stationed at the nearby GSIS building. More than 10 armed military personnel in camouflage later arrived to help secure the area after the Senate requested assistance, according to military spokesperson Xerxes Trinidad. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said authorities would review security footage to determine who fired the shots. Dela Rosa had resurfaced at the Senate earlier this week after months out of public view and was reportedly under protective custody at the time of the incident. CAM/Expat Media
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