Marcos Calls Emergency Meeting After Senate Shooting
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called an emergency meeting with top officials after gunfire erupted inside the Senate complex, where Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa had been staying amid an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
Philippine Senate Shooting Sparks Security Alert
The incident triggered chaos inside the Senate in Pasay City after gunshots were heard late on Wednesday. People inside the building scrambled for cover as police and armed security personnel were deployed around the complex.
Authorities said one person had been detained and bullet casings, rifle magazines and other items were recovered. Investigators are still verifying who fired the shots and how the incident unfolded.
Ronald Dela Rosa ICC Warrant
Dela Rosa, a former national police chief and key figure in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity.
He has denied wrongdoing and has challenged the ICC process, arguing that the Philippines is no longer under the court’s jurisdiction after withdrawing from the institution in 2019. His legal team has also approached the Supreme Court to block any possible transfer to The Hague.
Marcos Government Faces Political Tension
The shooting has deepened political tensions in the Philippines, where divisions between the Marcos administration and Duterte-aligned leaders have intensified.
Marcos denied that the government was behind the Senate incident and said authorities would investigate. The situation has drawn national attention because it combines a security crisis, an ICC arrest warrant, and a wider political confrontation involving some of the country’s most powerful figures.
