Philippine Senator Wanted By The International Criminal Court Flees From Senate

MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine legislator wanted by nan International Criminal Court for an alleged crime against humanity has fled from nan Senate, wherever he sought refuge to evade arrest, officials said Thursday.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa ’s exit from nan heavy guarded Senate came aft volleys of gunshots were fired Wednesday nighttime by nan building’s information unit during an statement pinch a authorities agent, sparking chaos that apparently helped nan legislator to gaffe out.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made a late-night TV connection to inquire nan nationalist to stay calm. A constabulary investigation was underway, including into suspicions that nan incident was instigated to supply dela Rosa a screen to escape.

“There is nary obstruction of justice,” Senate President Alan Cayetano said of dela Rosa’s flight while successful nan Senate’s protective custody.

He told a news briefing that he did not spot immoderate ICC warrant of apprehension against dela Rosa and nan legislator was free to time off nan premises.

Critics, however, said Cayetano and nan Senate’s information main should beryllium held responsible for dela Rosa’s escape.

Dela Rosa, 64, served arsenic nan erstwhile nationalist constabulary main of Rodrigo Duterte, who was president from 2016 to 2022. Duterte was arrested successful March past twelvemonth connected a ICC warrant for alleged crimes against humanity successful relationship pinch deadly anti-drugs crackdowns he launched and for which he is now facing a proceedings successful The Hague.

A warrant unsealed Monday by nan ICC charges dela Rosa pinch nan crime against humanity of execution of “no little than 32 persons” betwixt July 2016 and nan extremity of April 2018, erstwhile he led nan nationalist constabulary unit nether Duterte and enforced his bloody crackdowns.

Dela Rosa and Duterte person separately denied authorizing extrajudicial killings though nan erstwhile president has openly threatened supplier suspects pinch decease while he was successful office.

Dela Rosa’s ineligible predicament came arsenic governmental disputes escalated betwixt nan Duterte family and Marcos. Vice President Sara Duterte, nan erstwhile president’s daughter, has blamed Marcos for what she said was nan “kidnapping” of her begetter and handover to a overseas court.

The disputes bespeak nan heavy divisions that person agelong plagued nan rambunctious Asian democracy.

On Monday, Sara Duterte was impeached by nan House of Representatives, which is dominated by Marcos’ allies, complete alleged unexplained wealth, misuse of authorities costs and a nationalist threat to person Marcos, his woman and nan House speaker assassinated if she herself was killed successful their intensifying conflict.

She has denied immoderate wrongdoing but has refused to reply circumstantial allegations successful detail.

The Senate will convene into an impeachment tribunal connected Monday astatine nan earliest to hole for nan proceedings of nan vice president, Cayetano said.

Cayetano, a cardinal state of Rodrigo Duterte, wrested nan presidency of nan Senate Monday aft he sewage nan support of 13 of 24 senators. He gained nan mostly aft dela Rosa, who has been absent for months owed to fears of his imaginable arrest, abruptly showed up successful nan Senate Monday, arriving successful Cayetano’s car.

National Bureau of Investigation agents tried to service nan ICC apprehension warrant, but dela Rosa darted toward a constrictive stairway into nan Senate plenary hallway and sought nan thief of allied senators, who took him into protective custody.

Gomez writes for nan Associated Press. AP journalist Joeal Calupitan contributed to this report.