Philippines Probes 44 Senate Shots in Dela Rosa ICC Escape, Finds No Attack
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 19
Philippines Probes 44 Senate Shots in Dela Rosa ICC Escape, Finds No Attack
4 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 19
44 fired cartridges traced to four firearms have led Philippine investigators to probe Senate security officers over gunfire during Senator Ronald Dela Rosa’s escape from an ICC arrest attempt.
Interior Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said the May 13 shooting was not an attack on the Senate and that government agents never entered the building when the shots were fired.
Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca was identified as firing the first shot; CCTV appears to show him using a rifle, but police said he has not yet complied with an order to submit his gun for testing.
Police chief Jose Melencio Nartatez said Dela Rosa, 64, later left the Senate in a car registered to ally Senator Robin Padilla and remains at an unknown location.
The case is being turned over to the Justice Department, widening scrutiny of Dela Rosa’s bid to evade an ICC warrant tied to Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, in which thousands were killed.
With conflicting stories from top officials, what truly happened during the shooting inside the Philippine Senate?
Was the mysterious Senate shooting a cover-up for a senator's escape from an ICC arrest warrant?
May 2026 Senate Gunfire and Dela Rosa’s Escape: How the ICC Warrant Sparked a Philippine Political Crisis
Overview
On May 13, 2026, a gunfire incident at the Philippine Senate triggered a high-profile investigation involving multiple agencies. Volunteer driver Mel Oragon was initially implicated after testing positive for gunpowder residue, but NBI Director Melvin Matibag defended him, explaining that residue can transfer through contact and no firearm was found on Oragon. The investigation highlighted conflicting interpretations of evidence and deepened political tensions, especially as Senator Dela Rosa evaded an ICC arrest warrant during the chaos. These events exposed divisions among officials, raised questions about Senate security, and intensified public scrutiny of the Philippines’ commitment to justice and the rule of law.