politics
Gunshots Reported Inside Philippine Senate During Arrest Attempt of Senator Wanted by ICC
Gunshots were reported inside the Philippine Senate building where a senator sought refuge after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the country's former anti-drug campaign.
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Gunshots were reported inside the Philippine Senate building Wednesday as armed forces entered to pursue a senator who had taken refuge there to avoid arrest on an International Criminal Court warrant. The senator, a former national police chief and key enforcer of the country's former anti-drug campaign, evaded local agents by scurrying through back halls and stairwells, falling at least once while trailed by aides.
The scene, captured on CCTV, prompted riot police to surround the Senate compound after the initial attempt to take him into custody failed. The ICC confirmed Monday it had issued the warrant citing the senator's alleged role in conspiring on crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors pointed to incidents in which 32 people were killed between 2016 and 2018 as part of the brutal anti-drug operations that independent monitors say claimed thousands of lives overall. More than 6,000 people were killed in anti-drug operations after the former president took office in 2016, according to police data, with many killings occurring in the poorest areas.
The former president was arrested at Manila’s international airport in March 2025 and remains in ICC custody awaiting trial. The Philippines was a signatory to the ICC but withdrew membership after the court began probing the drug war. The court maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a member, between 2016 and 2019.
Supporters of the senator and the former president gathered to protest the warrant. More than 100 camped outside the Senate building overnight, waving the national flag and blocking nearby roads before police dispersed them. The senator has denied the allegations and argued the ICC lacks jurisdiction without approval from the local Supreme Court.
" >"I will face it, as long as they follow the proper process. If there is a legitimate warrant of arrest, they should bring it before the local court. " — Senator, May 2026 (CNN) The senator rose to prominence through his close relationship with the former president, serving as police chief first in Davao City and later nationally.
