A Philippine senator wanted by the International Criminal Court flees from Senate

"A Philippine senator wanted by the International Criminal Court for an alleged crime against humanity has fled from the Senate, where he sought refuge to evade arrest, officials said Thursday. Sen. Ronald dela Rosa's exit from the heavily guarded Senate came after volleys of gunshots were fired Wednesday night by the building's security personnel during an argument with a government agent, sparking chaos that apparently helped the senator to slip out. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a late-night TV statement to ask the public to remain calm."

"A police investigation was underway, including into suspicions that the incident was instigated to provide dela Rosa a cover to escape. "There is no obstruction of justice," Senate President Alan Cayetano said of dela Rosa's escape while in the Senate's protective custody. He told a news briefing that he did not see any ICC warrant of arrest against dela Rosa and the senator was free to leave the premises. Critics, however, said Cayetano and the Senate's security chief should be held responsible for dela Rosa's escape."

"Dela Rosa, 64, served as the former national police chief of Rodrigo Duterte, who was president from 2016 to 2022. Duterte was arrested in March last year on a ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity in connection with deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he launched and for which he is now facing a trial in The Hague. A warrant unsealed Monday by the ICC charges dela Rosa with the crime against humanity of murder of "no less than 32 persons" between July 2016 and the end of April 2018, when he led the national police force under Duterte and enforced his bloody crackdowns."

"Dela Rosa and Duterte have separately denied authorizing extrajudicial killings although the former president has openly threatened drug suspects with death while he was in office. Dela Rosa's legal predicament came as political disputes escalated between the Duterte family and Marcos. Vice President"

A Philippine senator wanted by the International Criminal Court fled from the Senate after gunshots were fired by building security during an argument with a government agent, creating chaos that enabled his exit. The President urged the public to remain calm while police investigated the incident, including suspicions that it may have been staged to provide cover for escape. The Senate President said there was no obstruction of justice and stated he did not see an ICC arrest warrant, allowing the senator to leave. Critics called for accountability for the Senate leadership and security chief. The ICC unsealed a warrant charging the senator with crimes against humanity involving the murder of at least 32 people during anti-drugs crackdowns led while he headed the national police under a former president facing trial in The Hague.

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