MANILA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had no arrest warrant for Senator Ronald Dela Rosa when they were deployed near the Senate building on Wednesday night, according to a message sent from the interior secretary to the Senate president.
Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday said Jonvic Remulla, secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, texted him that 21 NBI agents arrived at the Senate at 6:15 p.m. on Wednesday to provide security and were stationed on different floors of the building.
One NBI agent, identified only as Francisco, was seated on the second floor of the Senate complex when he was questioned by Mao Aplasca, head of the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA). Francisco stood up with a rifle slung sideways across his body.
According to Remulla, Aplasca immediately fired a warning shot, and Francisco also pulled the trigger with his gun pointed upward. The OSAA personnel fired 27 rounds in total, while Francisco discharged five rounds before fleeing the scene.
NBI chief Melvin Matibag denied on Wednesday that NBI agents were involved in the shooting incident. On Thursday, Cayetano denied the allegations that the incident was a "diversion" to let Dela Rosa leave the Senate, saying: "None of the senators who were here last night knew that that's gonna happen, and the shots were fired from both sides."
Cayetano said he had agreed with Remulla to launch an investigation into the incident.
Amid tensions surrounding reports of an attempted arrest of Dela Rosa, gunshots rang out from the Philippine Senate complex on Wednesday night, triggering chaos and confusion inside the building. The situation later calmed down, according to Senate officials.
Remulla came to the Senate building on Wednesday night and said Dela Rosa was safe. Cayetano on Thursday confirmed that Dela Rosa is no longer inside the Senate building.
The International Criminal Court unsealed an arrest warrant for Dela Rosa on Monday evening, which was originally issued as secret in November 2025. Dela Rosa's camp filed an urgent manifestation and omnibus motion through a law firm on Monday. He requested the issuance of a temporary restraining order and writ of preliminary injunction, prohibiting any arrest, detention, turnover, transfer, rendition, or surrender of him without a valid Philippine judicial warrant. ■
