[58941] Exchange of fire at the Philippine Senate building: Attempted arrest of a Senator wanted by the Hague tribunal

Political drama in the Philippines: Gunshots inside the Senate building

A political and security drama unfolded in the Philippines on May 13, 2026, when an exchange of fire was heard inside the Senate building in Manila. According to reports by Amir Tsarfati and Disclose.tv, the forces arrived to execute an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on suspicion of "crimes against humanity." Dela Rosa, who served as police chief during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is considered one of the architects of the country's "War on Drugs."

TabZ - Alternative Media reports that the senator has been barricaded in his office under "protective custody" since the beginning of the week to avoid extradition. Police and Marine forces stormed the compound and placed it under lockdown, while Visegrad24 notes that a "volley of more than a dozen shots" was heard when agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) attempted to enter the premises and subsequently retreated.

Reports are conflicting regarding the circumstances of the shooting. While many in the media point to a violent enforcement of the arrest warrant, Eurointel+ notes that the Philippine government denies that the shooting was carried out by its law enforcement forces. Despite claims of live fire, the Secretary of the Senate, Laredo Mendoza, confirmed on DD Geopolitics that "no one was injured."

The current event is a direct continuation of the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was extradited to The Hague in March 2025. While channels such as Mediterranean Man express sharp criticism of the ICC's persecution, calling it a "witch hunt," other channels such as WarFront Witness emphasize the fact that the senator is wanted for "thousands of extrajudicial killings" as part of the country's anti-drug campaign.