Bato Dela Rosa seen safe inside Senate after shooting incident
Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa remains inside the Senate building following the shooting incident the night of May 13.
His lawyer Atty. Israelito Torreon gave an update on social media in the early hours of May 14. "Magandang umaga po! Okay lang po kami ni Senator Ronald Dela Rosa. Alhamdullilah!" he wrote on Facebook.
At least five shots were heard inside the legislative building last night, as agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police were seen in the premises. During that time, several senators were still inside, including Dela Rosa.
"We are under attack," Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, an ally of Dela Rosa, said in a livestream on Facebook.
Earlier in the day, Dela Rosa shared he received information he would be arrested after the day's session.
The Senate has been on lockdown since May 11 after NBI agents arrived to serve an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Dela Rosa for alleged crimes against humanity. Cayetano placed Dela Rosa, who showed up at the Senate that day after being absent for six months, under Senate protective custody.
Dela Rosa has remained in the building since then.
The senator served as the PNP chief during former president Rodrigo Duterte's term, allegedly helping him carry out the so-called drug war, for which Duterte is awaiting trial at The Hague. Duterte is charged with three counts of murder as crimes against humanity. Dela Rosa has been identified as one of Duterte's co-perpetrators and is now on the ICC wanted list.
