Gunshots at Philippine senate amid ICC arrest standoff over Senator Rosa dela Rosa

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has denied involvement in the chaos that erupted at the Senate building after gunshots were fired on Wednesday (May 13) evening near where Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa was sheltering.

Dela Rosa, wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly war on drugs, has been holed up in the Senate since Monday. Armed security personnel were deployed as journalists scrambled for cover during the incident. Authorities report no casualties and are investigating a possible destabilisation plot.

Dela Rosa's supporters remain camped outside the Senate, while the Supreme Court deferred a decision on his petition to block the ICC arrest warrant, giving officials 72 hours to respond. The senator, who served as Duterte's chief enforcer, denies involvement in illegal killings and has urged supporters to prevent his arrest. Read more: https://cna.asia/4wnBWuk