Gunshots have been heard inside the Philippines’ parliament as chaos erupted around the building in anticipation of the arrest of a top senator.
Senator Ronald dela Rosa has taken refuge in his legislative office since Monday when the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed they were seeking his arrest on charges of crimes against humanity.
The 64-year-old had urged the military to stop attempts to arrest and fly him to the Netherlands to stand trial.
Video taken before the gunshots were heard shows Mr dela Rosa being escorted by dozens of people to another part of the building.
Senate security personnel and police officers ask members of the media to stay back after gunshots were heard at the Philippine’s senate. (REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez)
It was not immediately cleared who fired the shots inside the senate building which is in the city of Pasay, just south of the capital Manila.
Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza said there had not been any casualties.
“The situation is still being assessed after an undetermined number of law enforcers attempted to enter the building,” he said.
Mr dela Rosa was the police chief who oversaw former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly “war on drugs”.
Philippine Senator Ronald dela Rosa has been holed up in the senate building since Monday after the International Criminal Court confirmed they had a warrant for his arrest. (REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez)
The fierce crackdown saw thousands of alleged drug dealers killed, with human rights groups accusing police of systematic murders and cover-ups.
But police have rejected the allegations, saying the more than 6,000 killed in anti-drugs operations were all armed and had resisted arrest.
Originally issued in November, the ICC warrant charges Mr dela Rosa with the crime against humanity of murder of “no less than 32 persons” between July 2016 and the end of April 2018.
Despite ally senators helping protect Mr dela Rosa inside the senate building, it was believed Mr dela Rosa’s arrest was imminent and he had urged the public to turn out and block his arrest.
The senate was heavily guarded on Wednesday, with lines of police deployed to keep the peace as protesters gathered, some calling for the arrest of Mr dela Rosa, who is also known in the Philippines as “Bato”.
“I am appealing to you, I hope you can help me,” Mr dela Rosa said in a video posted to Facebook.
“Do not allow another Filipino to be brought to The Hague.”
Military personnel in camouflage enter the Senate building on Wednesday.
Witnesses told Reuters military personnel in camouflage were seen inside the senate building, some carrying assault rifles.
“We are under attack,” Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, who is an ally to Mr dela Rosa said in a livestream on his Facebook page.
The Philippine’s Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla was seen entering the building after the gunshots were heard.
He said he was not there to arrest Mr dela Rosa but “to secure him”.
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