By Staff Reporter
Chaos erupted inside the Senate of the Philippines after gunshots were fired during an attempt to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over his role in the country’s deadly anti-drug campaign.
Authorities identified the suspected gunman as a driver attached to the National Bureau of Investigation, the agency tasked with serving the ICC-linked arrest warrant against dela Rosa. The shooting took place Wednesday night within Senate premises, triggering panic and intensifying an already explosive political crisis.
Dela Rosa, a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte, had been hiding inside the Senate for days to avoid arrest. He slipped out of the complex early Thursday morning after Senate officials granted him protective custody.
The former police chief resurfaced publicly on Wednesday through a livestream, claiming authorities were preparing to arrest him after the Senate session. He appealed directly to supporters, urging them to prevent “another Filipino” from being taken to The Hague following Duterte’s arrest in March 2025.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. denied ordering dela Rosa’s arrest and called for calm as tensions escalated between the Marcos administration and the influential Duterte political camp.
Architect of Duterte’s Drug War
Known nationwide by his nickname “Bato,” meaning “rock,” dela Rosa served as national police chief from 2016 to 2018 after being appointed by Duterte shortly after the latter won the presidency.
Under his command, police launched “Project Double Barrel,” the brutal anti-drug crackdown that became the defining policy of the Duterte administration. Thousands of suspected drug users and dealers were killed during police operations and vigilante-style executions.
Official government figures place the death toll at more than 6,000 by the end of Duterte’s presidency in 2022, while human rights organizations estimate the number may have reached tens of thousands.
Despite international condemnation, dela Rosa repeatedly defended the campaign, insisting police acted within the law. His hardline stance helped propel him into the Senate in 2019, where he continued backing Duterte’s anti-drug policies.
ICC Pressure and Senate Showdown
The ICC secretly issued an arrest warrant against dela Rosa in November 2025, accusing him of involvement in alleged crimes against humanity linked to the drug war. He has denied wrongdoing and petitioned the Supreme Court to block his arrest.
Following Duterte’s transfer to The Hague last year, speculation mounted that other key figures tied to the anti-drug campaign would face prosecution.
Dela Rosa disappeared from public view for months before dramatically returning to the Senate this week as lawmakers moved to convene an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte.
The senator’s reappearance triggered a tense cat-and-mouse chase inside the Senate complex as investigators attempted to arrest him. CCTV footage reportedly showed dela Rosa running through hallways and stairwells before taking refuge inside the Senate chamber, where arrests are traditionally restricted out of institutional respect.
The National Bureau of Investigation later announced it would temporarily suspend efforts to arrest dela Rosa pending a Supreme Court ruling.
