Shooting in Philippine Senate during arrest attempt of senator

Shooting broke out today in the Philippine Senate as authorities attempted to arrest a senator wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity, an AP reporter and other witnesses reported.

It is not yet clear how the shooting started or whether there were any injuries in the Senate, where Senator Ronald dela Rosa remained under the protection of allied senators while Philippine authorities attempted to arrest him and possibly hand him over later to the International Criminal Court.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday unsealed an arrest warrant for Dela Rosa, the former national police chief who spearheaded the anti-drug operations ordered by then-President Rodrigo Duterte, in which thousands of mostly petty criminals were killed.

The warrant was originally issued in November, and it charges Dela Rosa with crimes against humanity and the murder of no fewer than 32 people between July 2016 and the end of April 2018, when he led the national police under Duterte.

Senate President Alan Cayetano appeared briefly before reporters at the Senate and confirmed that building security told him that shots had been fired, but he gave no other details and quickly left.

"Emotions are high here. This is the Senate of the Philippines and we are supposedly under attack," he said.

Dela Rosa, 64, said earlier that he would fight the ICC arrest warrant and seek every possible legal remedy. He also called on his supporters to gather at the Senate today to prevent what he called an imminent arrest.

National Bureau of Investigation agents tried to arrest Dela Rosa on Monday, but he managed to escape to the Senate plenary chamber and seek help from fellow senators. Cayetano then said he would charge government agents involved in the operation with bodily harm.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte faces ICC charges of crimes against humanity for his alleged involvement in dozens of killings as part of his so-called war on drugs while in office, first as mayor of a southern city and later as president. Duterte is in ICC custody, having had his request for parole on health grounds denied last year.