The person wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity escaped security agents, rallied protesters, and even performed a military anthem for the media. Then, after a sudden exchange of gunfire, the most controversial lawmaker in the Philippines left the heavily guarded Senate building in the middle of the night.
Senator Ronald dela Rosa, wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for his role in the "drug war" of former President Rodrigo Duterte, is now nowhere to be seen.
The chaotic events of the week have not only sparked criticism of the Senate, where Duterte's allies controversially shielded Dela Rosa from arrest, but also of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who appears to be misled.
Dela Rosa, the former head of the Philippine National Police, has been in hiding since reports of his impending arrest surfaced in November. He suddenly appeared in the Senate on Monday, supporting another Duterte loyalist's successful bid to become Senate president.
This proved to be a risky move for Dela Rosa, as he dramatically ran through the halls and up the Senate stairs while security agents chased him inside the building. However, he managed to outmaneuver the agents. His allies may have also outmaneuvered Marcos politically. When Dela Rosa reached the Senate chamber, he was granted protective custody by the new Senate president, Allan Peter Cayetano.
The concept of Senate protection is questionable to some experts, but paved the way for a three-day standoff with authorities.
During the first night, he was hiding in the office of fellow Senator Jinggoy Estrada, telling Super Radyo DZBB. "His room was better, he also had more food," Dela Rosa, nicknamed Bato, which translates to "rock," said. However, he admitted he didn't have much of an appetite.
In the Senate, he was busy - rallying public support with Facebook live streams and media interviews.
He called on his "like-minded military" to resist his arrest, sang a military anthem for the media, and appealed to Marcos with tears to not hand him over to the ICC.
His statement on Wednesday night that he was facing an imminent arrest led to a strong security presence and protesters outside the Senate. Inside, media captured scenes of chaos as they tried to locate the senator. Some reporters gathered at a door, holding microphones toward the door to capture the sound of drilling, as it seemed exits were being locked.
Then, the sound of gunfire erupted, causing reporters to duck for cover.
Dela Rosa managed to escape several hours later. GMA News reported that he told guards he was going to the bathroom but instead ran out through a fire escape and left in an SUV with a fellow Duterte loyalist senator.
Some have questioned whether the shooting and commotion were staged to allow Dela Rosa to escape. Cayetano denied this. He claimed the Senate was "under attack," blaming the National Bureau of Investigation, which initially attempted to arrest Dela Rosa on Monday. However, it was later revealed that Senate security fired first.
Senator Vicente Sotto, who was removed from the position of Senate president and replaced by Cayetano on Monday, said, "I don't know what to think about this." "Some gunfire by Senate security at something while most of us should have been at home. Then Bato escapes," he said.
The Marcos government said it would respect the Supreme Court's decision on Wednesday, which gave the government 72 hours to comment on Dela Rosa's petition challenging his arrest.
"I feel that Marcos Jr. wants to be more cautious at this point than when Duterte was arrested," said Jean Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman. When Duterte was arrested, Marcos' "approval and trust ratings were hurt," she said. He doesn't want to risk that again.
"However, what comes out is that the government is weak and incompetent, given that efforts to arrest Bato have failed," she added.
In contrast, Sara Duterte is performing well in polls. The power of her allies in the Senate has been strengthened by Cayetano's appointment - a useful development as she faces an impeachment trial.
Dela Rosa is certainly watching the proceedings. He is relatively young and may not be able to evade justice forever, said Sol Iglesia, an associate professor of political science at the University of the Philippines.
"However, if Sara Duterte is not convicted and wins the 2028 presidential election, she can expect protection as long as her allies remain in power," she added.
So far, his whereabouts remain a mystery.
