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Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano speaks to the media during a press briefing on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. According to Cayetano, it was unclear on Sunday night whether Senator Ronald Dela Rosa would attend the Senate session; he was only informed on Monday morning that Dela Rosa was already on his way, prompting transport arrangements to the Senate.
Dela Rosa said he was advised to ride a van arranged for him, with both senators stressing that there was nothing illegal about the arrangement.

Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SENATE- ALAN CAYETANO

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177874670409220260513-senate-alan-peter-cayetano-MT1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (2ND UPDATE) — Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday insisted that the shooting incident inside the Senate premises on Wednesday night was a form of &quot;attack&quot; as he shut down speculations that the gunfire was orchestrated.</p><p>&quot;Nag-warning shot ka, pinutukan kita pabalik, is it not an attack? Sorry ha, but I don&#x27;t think there [is] any question — the Senate was under attack,&quot; Cayetano said after a journalist asked whether the firing back of a personnel allegedly with the National Bureau of Investigation could be considered an assault.</p><p>&quot;All of you, all you, your lives were in danger last night,&quot; he told reporters in a raised voice.</p><p>Palace Press Officer Claire Castro earlier said in a separate news conference that Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca, a former police general, was the first to fire a warning shot when an NBI agent confirmed their presence in the Government Service Insurance System wing.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/14/senate-chaos-staged-that-s-the-sentiment-of-our-nbi-agents-matibag-says-1447">Senate chaos &#x27;staged&#x27;?: &#x27;That&#x27;s the sentiment of our NBI agents,&#x27; Matibag says</a></div><p>Castro earlier in the day asked Melvin Matibag, director of the National Bureau of Investigation, if there were views that the commotion may have been &quot;staged&quot; to let Sen. Ronald dela Rosa slip out of the Senate.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ll be very honest, that&#x27;s the sentiment of our NBI agents,&quot; said Matibag, who stressed that an investigation is still underway to determine the truth behind the chaos.</p><p>Cayetano noted the Senate majority was having a caucus as they awaited the transmittal of articles of impeachment when the gunshots hit the Senate.</p><p>&quot;Napakagaling ko naman mag-orchestrate ng lahat ng iyan, kaya ko papuntahin dito mga armadong grupo?&quot; he said, adding that he doesn&#x27;t have any history of staging violence in his entire political career.</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has denied that the government had a hand in the chaos that gripped the Senate on Wednesday night, when Cayetano first claimed that the institution was &quot;under attack.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/14/bato-has-left-senate-premises-1107">Cayetano: Bato no longer at Senate</a></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F2042332363023730%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border-width:medium;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor;border-image:initial;overflow:hidden;--darkreader-inline-border-top:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-right:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-bottom:0px;--darkreader-inline-border-left:0px" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" data-darkreader-inline-border-top="" data-darkreader-inline-border-right="" data-darkreader-inline-border-bottom="" data-darkreader-inline-border-left=""></iframe></div><div><strong>&#x27;NO OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE&#x27;</strong></div><p>Cayetano meanwhile rejected claims that Dela Rosa “escaped” authorities, arguing that no obstruction of justice was committed because there was &quot;no arrest warrant presented&quot; against him.</p><p>“Walang obstruction of justice,” Cayetano said during the press briefing. “To obstruct justice, you have to know. Hinahabol ka nila, wala kang mapakitang warrant sa akin, tinago kita, walang obstruction of justice doon.”</p><p>Cayetano also questioned the warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying Philippine authorities cannot automatically recognize such documents without proper presentation.</p><p>“We don’t take judicial notice of that stuff. They have to come to us and present it,” he said.</p><p>Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday presented a copy of the alleged ICC warrant against Dela Rosa. The document, dated Nov. 6, 2025, was made public earlier this week.</p><p>“They said they have a secret warrant. Sinabi ng ICC na under their rules, puwede nilang i-secret ‘yong warrant. That’s why tumakbo si Senator Bato sa Supreme Court kasi hindi niya nakita,” he said.</p><p>According to Cayetano, a Philippine-issued warrant would still be necessary before authorities can arrest a Filipino citizen such as Dela Rosa.</p><p>The ICC has unsealed an confirmed an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa.</p><p>The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1 identified Dela Rosa &quot;as an alleged indirect co-perpetrator pursuant to article 25(3)(a) of the Statute for the crimes against humanity within the Court’s jurisdiction of murder and attempted murder(articles 7(1)(a) and 23(3)(f) of the Statute), committed in the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019.&quot;</p><p>The period covers alleged summary killings while former President Rodrigo Duterte was Davao City mayor and during the government&#x27;s &quot;war on drugs&quot; while he was president. Dela Rosa served as Davao City police chief, and later Philippine National Police chief under Duterte.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/11/read-the-icc-s-unsealed-arrest-warrant-against-dela-rosa-2356">READ: The ICC&#x27;s unsealed arrest warrant against Dela Rosa</a></div><div> <span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZLM_KLz3Ex0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday insisted that the shooting incident inside the Senate premises on Wednesday was a form of attack.</p>

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday insisted that the shooting incident inside the Senate premises on Wednesday was a form of attack.

Cayetano insists Senate was 'under attack' on Wednesday

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Cayetano insists Senate was 'under attack' on Wednesday

Rowegie Abanto,

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 14, 2026 04:22 PM PHT

|

Updated May 14, 2026 05:12 PM PHT

Read More:

Alan Peter Cayetano

Senate

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