Gunshots inside the Philippine Senate? A senator fearing arrest by the International Criminal Court?
For many Filipinos, it felt less like politics and more like a political thriller unfolding in real time.
The Senate in Manila was locked down on Wednesday.
Armed commandos entered the building where Senator Ronald Dela Rosa had reportedly taken refuge.
Dela Rosa — once the face of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs — believes the ICC could soon move to arrest him.
Over allegations tied to dozens of killings during his time as police chief.
Officials insist the operation was not an arrest attempt.
“We are here to protect him,” Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said, even as anti-riot police surrounded the complex and stunned senators sheltered inside.
Political Tensions Escalate
So who fired the shots? Authorities still haven’t said. No casualties were reported, but the uncertainty only deepened the tension.
Outside, protesters demanded Dela Rosa be sent to The Hague, where Duterte himself has been detained since March 2025.
Meanwhile, Dela Rosa’s lawyers are racing to block any extradition.
Political analyst Richard Heydarian says the drama reflects a deeper power struggle between President Bongbong Marcos and the Duterte camp.
And with impeachment battles already brewing in Congress, the timing could hardly be more explosive.
In Philippine politics these days, even the Senate floor can suddenly feel like a battlefield.
