Manila, Philippines. Gunshots were reported at the Philippine Senate on Wednesday, prompting people to run for cover after Senator Ronald dela Rosa said his arrest was imminent and security forces entered the building. Officials said there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Chaos at the Senate
Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza told reporters there were no immediate reports of casualties following the incident at the legislature in Manila.
ICC warrant and calls for mobilisation
Dela Rosa, a former police chief and a key enforcer of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs,” had earlier urged people to mobilise to prevent his arrest and handover to the International Criminal Court.
On Monday, the Hague-based court unsealed an arrest warrant for dela Rosa on charges of crimes against humanity. Duterte, 81, is accused of the same and is awaiting trial at the ICC following his transfer last year.
Dela Rosa, 64, has denied involvement in illegal killings.
Dela Rosa’s statement from the Senate
In a video posted on Facebook from his Senate office, dela Rosa appealed for support and urged people not to allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague. He has been in his Senate office since Monday under legislative protection.
Conflicting accounts on law enforcement presence
Mendoza said law enforcement officers believed to be from the National Bureau of Investigation attempted to enter the Senate and fired as they retreated.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag told GMA News that no agents had been deployed, saying he had been told to await instructions and that the agency had made no preparations.
Military personnel arrive
More than 10 military personnel in camouflage fatigues arrived at the scene, some carrying assault rifles, according to Reuters journalists.
What do you think the conflicting accounts from Senate officials and the NBI indicate about what happened at the building?
