𝗖𝗲𝗻𝗣𝗘𝗚 𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗘𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) expresses grave concern over the disturbing incidents that unfolded in the Senate amid efforts to enforce the arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is being sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity linked to the bloody anti-drug campaign under the Duterte administration.

Reports of chaos, lockdowns, alleged gunfire, and attempts to portray the Senate as being “under attack” raise serious questions about whether these events were deliberately amplified—or even staged—to derail lawful accountability processes and generate public confusion.

A fundamental question remains unanswered: Who fired the shots? Why was no one hit? The suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident demand an independent and transparent investigation. Any attempt to manufacture fear, disorder, or spectacle in order to obstruct justice and shield powerful political figures must be condemned.

The ICC warrant against dela Rosa stems from his central role in implementing the Duterte administration’s so-called “war on drugs,” a campaign that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Filipinos, many from poor communities, under circumstances widely condemned by international human rights organizations and victims’ families.

According to Philippine political analyst and CenPEG Chairperson Prof. Roland Simbulan, “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦  𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦  𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵  𝘯𝘰𝘵  𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦  𝘢  𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺  𝘧𝘰𝘳  𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴  𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥  𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.”

Prof. Simbulan stressed that the apparent effort to protect dela Rosa from arrest only reinforces the necessity of international accountability mechanisms such as the ICC.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘊𝘊 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘺,” Simbulan said.

“𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦-𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭  𝘮𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘴  𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦  𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦  𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵  𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.”

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴,” Simbulan added.

“𝘐𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴  𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺  𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴  𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭  𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯  𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳  𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺.”

CenPEG further stressed that the timing of the disorder is deeply alarming, coming as Vice President Sara Duterte faces renewed impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives over allegations that include misuse of confidential and public funds, abuse of power, and corruption.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭,” Simbulan said.

“𝘈𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳  𝘵𝘰  𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵  𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤  𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯  𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮  𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺  𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴  𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵  𝘣𝘦  𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘭𝘺  𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥  𝘣𝘺  𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤  𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴  𝘢𝘯𝘥  𝘣𝘺  𝘵𝘩𝘦  𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰  𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦.”

CenPEG calls on the Senate leadership, law enforcement agencies, and constitutional bodies to ensure that lawful processes proceed without political interference, theatrics, intimidation, or institutional sabotage.

The Filipino people deserve truth, justice, and institutions that serve the public interest rather than partisan protection networks.

Accountability for crimes against humanity, corruption, and abuse of power is not political persecution—it is a democratic imperative.