A dramatic night unfolded in Manila after Senator Ronald dela Rosa wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) escaped from the Philippine Senate building, where he had been hiding to avoid arrest. His disappearance came moments after multiple gunshots echoed through the heavily guarded compound on Wednesday, triggering a full lockdown and sending staff scrambling for safety.
Authorities are now investigating whether the shooting was staged to help the senator slip past security. Police confirmed there is no active search for additional suspects, but the circumstances surrounding the gunfire remain under scrutiny.
Dela Rosa, 64, had been sheltering inside his Senate office since Monday, when the ICC confirmed it was seeking his arrest on charges of crimes against humanity. As the country’s former police chief, he oversaw ex‑president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly “war on drugs,” a campaign the ICC alleges involved the murder of “no less than 32 persons” between July 2016 and April 2018.
Hours before the gunshots, the senator posted an appeal on social media urging supporters to mobilise, claiming law enforcement officers were preparing to arrest him. He has denied wrongdoing and filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court to block any attempt to transfer him to The Hague.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano later confirmed that his ally had successfully escaped the building. “There is no obstruction of justice,” he insisted, though questions continue to swirl around how a high‑profile fugitive managed to evade one of the most secure government facilities in the country.
The incident has intensified political tensions in Manila and raised concerns about the government’s ability to enforce international legal obligations while maintaining domestic stability.
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