Gunfire as Philippine senator resists ICC arrest in Manila
Gunshots rang out at the Philippine Senate as teams executing an International Criminal Court warrant for Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa met resistance. The incident has reignited Manila's tense standoff with the ICC.
Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa, the former national police chief identified as a central figure of the Duterte-era 'war on drugs', resisted the ICC arrest warrant and took refuge in the Senate building. Gunshots fired during the attempted arrest caused brief panic, and two security personnel were lightly injured.
The ICC issued the warrant in late 2025 as part of its investigation into extrajudicial killings under Duterte. The Philippine government continues to argue it does not recognise ICC jurisdiction after pulling out in 2019, but a Supreme Court ruling last month cleared the way for local law enforcement to act on the warrant.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the situation was 'under control' and requested a detailed report from the Senate President. The episode has sharpened polarisation between human rights groups and Duterte loyalists, and triggered brief volatility for the peso and Manila's stock exchange.
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