Gunshots near the Philippine Senate triggered a lockdown as security forces moved into the building where Senator Ronald Dela Rosa had sought refuge.
The Philippine Senate was placed on lockdown Wednesday after gunshots were heard around the complex in Manila.
Armed police commandos and anti-riot officers surrounded the Senate building after Senator Ronald Dela Rosa reportedly sought protection there amid fears of a possible arrest linked to an International Criminal Court investigation.
Authorities said no casualties were recorded, and it remains unclear who fired the shots. No arrests have been made so far.
Dela Rosa, the former police chief under ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, is accused by the ICC of involvement in killings tied to the country’s controversial anti-drug campaign. Duterte has been held in The Hague since March 2025.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered tight security around lawmakers and insisted officers were there to protect Dela Rosa, not arrest him.
The incident comes as legal pressure mounts over the ICC case, with Dela Rosa’s lawyers asking the Supreme Court to block any extradition move.