Gunfire broke out inside the Philippine Senate building in Pasay City at approximately 7:46 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, as Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa remained barricaded inside the compound resisting the execution of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant charging him with crimes against humanity. No casualties were reported, and no senators or members of the Senate staff were struck by bullets, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla.
Multiple eyewitness accounts from journalists present at the scene described hearing more than a dozen shots fired inside the building. The identity, number, and affiliation of the armed individuals involved remained unknown as of late Wednesday evening, with Remulla cautioning against drawing premature conclusions pending a review of closed-circuit television footage.
Armed Intruders Intercepted on Second Floor
According to an official chronology provided by Secretary Remulla, who arrived on site at approximately 8:30 p.m. alongside top Philippine National Police (PNP) officials, armed men attempted to enter the second floor of the Senate building at 7:46 p.m. They were intercepted by personnel of the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA), who fired the first warning shot.
The armed individuals then retreated and, during their withdrawal, fired shots into the air. Remulla confirmed that authorities had not yet established a count of the intruders and that no suspects or persons of interest had been formally identified as of that evening.
"There are no casualties. None. No one was hit, no one was wounded, no one was killed," Remulla said in a statement delivered at the scene.
NBI Denies Any Role in the Shooting
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag denied that any of his agents fired shots inside the Senate building and stated there was no order to arrest Dela Rosa on the night of May 13. Speaking in Filipino, Matibag said: "Walang baril ang mga tao ko. Hindi kami pumunta doon." ("My people had no guns. We did not go there.")
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the nation following the incident, categorically denying any government involvement in the shooting. Marcos said he had previously instructed the NBI not to proceed with arresting Dela Rosa following a related Supreme Court resolution, and called on the public to remain calm, saying: "Kalma lang po."
Marcos also floated the possibility that the incident was motivated by destabilization objectives, though he stopped short of naming any specific group or individual as responsible.
Senate Secretary Raises Diversion Theory
Senate Secretary Mark Mendoza offered an alternative interpretation to reporters, suggesting that the gunfire may have been a deliberate diversion — a theory that has gained traction given the highly charged political atmosphere surrounding Dela Rosa's standoff inside the Senate compound.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, speaking via a Facebook livestream from inside the building during the incident, said the Senate was "allegedly under attack." Cayetano stated that in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, he did not know what was happening or whether he could ensure the safety of the people inside the building. Cayetano later vowed that the Senate would conduct an "objective, smart" investigation into the incident.
Supreme Court Declined TRO Earlier That Day
The shooting occurred against a backdrop of escalating legal and political tension that had built throughout the day. Earlier on May 13, the Supreme Court declined to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) that would have blocked the execution of the ICC arrest warrant against Dela Rosa. Instead, the Court ordered executive officials and Dela Rosa to file comments and replies within a non-extendible 72-hour window. The earliest possible ruling on a TRO is not expected before Friday, May 22, 2026.
With no TRO in place, authorities could in principle execute the ICC warrant. Legal analysts note that the charge — crimes against humanity — carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and does not enjoy the congressional session immunity afforded to legislators for ordinary offenses.
Riot police and military personnel surrounded the Senate compound throughout the evening. Reporters were ordered off the second floor, and some journalists were also blocked from reaching the fifth floor, where Dela Rosa's office is located. Building lights were cut shortly before the shooting took place.
Supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte massed outside the Senate compound, with some reportedly stopping and inspecting vehicles leaving the building amid fears that Dela Rosa might be covertly transported out of the premises.
ICC Warrant Unsealed Monday, Covers 32 Alleged Killings
The ICC warrant at the center of the standoff was unsealed on Monday, May 11, 2026. The warrant, dated November 2025, charges Dela Rosa with the crime against humanity of murder involving "no less than 32 persons" between July 2016 and the end of April 2018 — the period during which he served as Chief of the Philippine National Police under the Duterte administration.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte was himself arrested in March 2025 and is currently held in ICC detention in The Hague, Netherlands, where he awaits trial on charges arising from the same period of conduct.
Before the shooting, Dela Rosa posted a video on Facebook appealing to his supporters not to allow another Filipino to be sent to The Hague. He stated he would honor whatever decision the Supreme Court ultimately reaches.
Senate Leadership Coup Preceded the Crisis
Dela Rosa's reappearance at the Senate on Monday, May 11, 2026 — after an absence of nearly six months, having last been seen publicly on November 10, 2025, four days after the warrant was reportedly sealed — coincided with a dramatic shift in Senate leadership. Dela Rosa cast the deciding 13th vote that ousted Senate President Vicente Sotto III and installed Alan Peter Cayetano in his place. He has been under what the Senate has described as "protective custody" within the compound since that vote.
A first attempt to serve the ICC warrant on Dela Rosa occurred that same Monday, when NBI agents tried to execute the warrant inside the Senate. Dela Rosa evaded the agents by running through the Senate halls to the plenary session hall, where allied senators sheltered him. Cayetano threatened to issue contempt citations against the NBI agents involved in the attempt.
Legal experts and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have questioned whether the Senate has the legal authority to extend "protective custody" to a sitting senator facing an international criminal warrant, with the DOJ's position being that the chamber carries no such mandate. Senators who have participated in shielding Dela Rosa from arrest could potentially face obstruction-of-justice exposure, though no formal charges have been filed as of publication.
Impeachment Articles Against VP Sara Duterte Transmitted Same Day
In a parallel constitutional development on May 13, the House of Representatives transmitted articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to the Senate, according to a report by Philstar. The transmission arrived on the same day as the Senate shooting, adding further complexity to an already turbulent political landscape in Manila.
Investigations Pending; Dela Rosa Vows to Stay
As of the evening of May 13, 2026, the identity, count, and organizational affiliation of the armed men who entered the Senate building remain unknown. Whether the gunfire constituted a failed arrest attempt, a destabilization operation, a deliberate diversion as suggested by Senate Secretary Mendoza, or some other act has not been officially determined. Whether the OSAA acted within its rules of engagement is also a matter that investigators are expected to address.
Remulla confirmed that CCTV footage is being reviewed and called on the public and media to await the results of the investigation before drawing conclusions about responsibility.
The 72-hour window for government officials and Dela Rosa to file comments and replies before the Supreme Court expires on or around Saturday, May 16, 2026. The earliest a TRO could be issued remains Friday, May 22. Dela Rosa has stated he intends to remain inside the Senate compound until the Supreme Court hands down its ruling. Whether the OSAA has jurisdiction to conduct a criminal investigation into the armed intrusion is itself an unresolved legal question that officials have yet to definitively answer.
Photo credit: Photo from Senate of the Philippines / Public Domain