A Philippine senator, Ronald dela Rosa, wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity, has eluded arrest after taking refuge in the heavily guarded Senate building. Officials confirmed that dela Rosa fled following gunfire during an altercation between the building’s security and a government agent.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the public to stay calm in a late-night TV address, stating a police investigation is underway. Allegations surface that the incident was orchestrated to aid dela Rosa’s escape.
“There is no obstruction of justice,” said Senate President Alan Cayetano, asserting that dela Rosa left the Senate of his own accord, as no ICC warrant was presented.
Critics demand accountability from Cayetano and the Senate’s security chief for the senator’s escape. Dela Rosa, 64, was once the national police chief under former President Rodrigo Duterte, facing trial at The Hague for anti-drugs operations resulting in alleged crimes against humanity.
An ICC warrant, released Monday, accuses dela Rosa of murdering 32 individuals from July 2016 to April 2018 while leading police crackdowns. Both dela Rosa and Duterte deny authorizing extrajudicial killings, though Duterte threatened drug suspects during his presidency.
Amid ongoing political tensions between the Duterte family and Marcos, Vice President Sara Duterte accuses Marcos of her father’s ‘kidnapping.’ Sara Duterte was recently impeached over allegations of unexplained wealth and misuse of funds, a move she attributes to political vendettas.
The Senate will soon act as an impeachment court for Sara Duterte’s trial, with Alan Cayetano, a Duterte ally, assuming Senate presidency on Monday. His leadership coincides with the sudden reappearance of dela Rosa, who sought refuge with supportive senators this week.
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