On Thursday, officials reported that a Philippine senator, under a warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for an alleged crime against humanity, fled the Senate where he had been seeking refuge. The senator in question, Ronald dela Rosa, managed to escape amid gunshots fired by the building’s security personnel during a confrontation with a government agent.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the nation in a late-night broadcast urging calm. A police investigation is ongoing, with suspicions that the gunfire incident might have been a deliberate act to facilitate dela Rosa’s escape. Senate President Alan Cayetano dismissed concerns of justice obstruction, stating there was no ICC warrant presented against dela Rosa during his custody.
Dela Rosa, 64, previously served as the national police chief under Rodrigo Duterte’s presidency from 2016 until 2022. Duterte, now detained on an ICC warrant himself for similar charges, began the anti-drug campaigns which now implicate dela Rosa. Both deny any authorization of extrajudicial killings, although Duterte frequently threatened drug suspects during his tenure.
Political tensions are mounting between the Dutertes and Marcos. Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of the former president, has criticized Marcos for what she termed as her father’s ‘kidnapping’ and forced submission to foreign judicial processes. This intensifying discord reflects the deep-seated divides in the Philippines’ political arena.
The House of Representatives, largely supportive of Marcos, impeached Sara Duterte over allegations including unexplained wealth and misuse of funds. While she denies these charges, she has remained silent on specific details. Preparing for a trial in the Senate as an impeachment court could commence next week, according to Cayetano, who took over the Senate presidency recently with support from majority senators, including dela Rosa who appeared recently at the Senate despite his legal concerns.
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