Shots fired in the Senate; Cayetano vows not to let Bato arrest happen

In a latest update, NBI said no agents were deployed to arrest Sen. Bato dela Rosa, and clarified that the gunshots were not fired by its personnel. Read that story here.

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 8:45 p.m.)— Gunshots were fired inside the Senate on Wednesday evening, May 13, as Sen. Bato dela Rosa, wanted by the International Criminal Court, continues to evade arrest.

Various media have reported sounds of repeated gunshots while inside the Senate. Reporters scrambled outside for safety. Security has yet to confirm who exactly was being fired at.

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, speaking during a Facebook livestream from inside a room in the building, said gunshots were fired in the premises and that he does not know what is happening.

 “We don’t know what’s happening, everyone is locked in their rooms now, we cannot go out. We cannot secure our other staff,” he said. “This is the Senate of the Philippines... Why are we under attack here?”

The Senate President said he and other senators in the room with him have agreed not to leave the premises and not to leave Dela Rosa. 

Cayetano's video had briefly shown his sister Sen. Pia Cayetano and Sen. Loren Legarda in the room with him.

"I just want everyone to know, itong grupo na nandito we are not going to leave each other, we are not going to leave Senator Bato. May agreement na. We are still looking at the Supreme Court decision. His legal remedies have not yet been exhausted," Cayetano said.

There are no reports yet of casualties as of around 8:30 p.m., Senate Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza told reporters.

Meanwhile, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla has also arrived at the Senate premises. Remulla said he is there to secure the area.

In a separate interview, National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag said the bureau had an agreement with Cayetano that its agents would stand down. 

He denied that the gunshots came from NBI officers.

"We are not there," Matibag told ABS-CBN on a televised call. "We would not be going there because that is the order."

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.