Philippine Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, a high-profile figure wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his role in the country’s former anti-drug campaign, has apparently left the Senate compound after a days-long standoff. Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said Thursday morning the lawmaker is no longer in the building but an official timeline of his departure is still being investigated. The senator’s exit comes after a period of increased volatility, including a dramatic confrontation earlier this week in which he was seen running through the halls of the Senate to avoid authorities and a security scare late Wednesday night when gunfire was reported inside the complex.
The controversy surrounding Senator dela Rosa has escalated in the context of a wider political crisis, following the recent impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte and the ongoing tensions between the Marcos administration and the Duterte family. The senator, who was police chief under the last administration, is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over alleged crimes against humanity during the “war on drugs.” He has pleaded not guilty and appealed to the Supreme Court of the Philippines to intervene but his presence in the Senate has been a rallying point for both his supporters and the police. The administration has sought to distance itself from the Senate fracas as authorities work to determine his current whereabouts and investigations into the recent security breach continue.
