Philippine President Marcos calls for an emergency meeting after chaos and shooting at Senate
The President of Philippines called an emergency meeting of top officials on Thursday (May 14, 2026) amid widening political tensions, a day after gunfire rang
The President of Philippines called an emergency meeting of top officials on Thursday (May 14, 2026) amid widening political tensions, a day after gunfire rang out at the Senate where a lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been holed up fearing his arrest. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, the former Police Chief and Chief Enforcer of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody “war on drugs”, is wanted for crimes against humanity, the same charges Mr. Duterte is accused of. Mr. Duterte is set to become the first former Asian Head of State to go on trial at the ICC. Gunshots were heard late on Wednesday (May 14, 2026) inside the Senate building and people inside scrambled for cover, hours after Mr. Rosa, better known as “Bato” or “Rock”, appealed on social media for supporters to mobilise, saying law enforcement agents were coming to take him from the legislature, where he had taken refuge. The incident sparked chaos and confusion, with a heavy presence of police and armed guards at the Senate, protests outside and more than a dozen shots fired just moments after marines were called in to bolster security. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was meeting government and security chiefs on Thursday (May 14, 2026), while police spokesperson Randulf Tuano said one person had been detained and investigations were under way, with bullet casings, assault rifle magazines and other items recovered.
“The person has provided names, but these still need confirmation,” Mr. Tuano told DZBB radio. It was unclear who fired the shots, or if Mr. Rosa was still in the Senate on Thursday (May 14, 2026). Entering the heavily guarded building, his lawyer Jimmy Bondoc, said he spoke to him during the night and believed he was inside. “As his lawyer, I asked him if you have plans to leave, he said none,” Mr. Bondoc told reporters. Marcos and government agencies have insisted no order was issued to arrest Mr. Rosa, with no announcements on Thursday (May 14, 2026) on the identity of individuals who officials said tried to force their way into the building. In an interview with DZBB aired early on Thursday (May 14, 2026), Mr. Rosa said he will “exhaust all available remedies” to block his transfer to the ICC and having learned about conditions Mr. Duterte was being held under, he was no longer willing to fight his case in The Hague. It was unclear when the interview was conducted. Rosa has denied involvement in illegal killings. “Yes, things changed. It turns out it is not that easy to visit him,” he said of Mr. Duterte.
The BriefWire