‘What Senate siege?’: Palace says chamber was never under attack

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

PROTEST. Multi-sectoral groups stage a protest outside the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on May 13, 2026, calling for the arrest of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and demanding the conviction of Vice President Sara Duterte. The protest came as Dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his role in the Duterte administration’s drug war killings, continue to evade authorities and used the Senate as his safe haven. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – Malacañang on Monday rejected claims that the Senate was “under attack” during last week’s shooting incident, stressing the upper chamber remained secure and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents respected Senate authority throughout the commotion.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said descriptions of a “Senate siege” were inaccurate, noting that official accounts from law enforcement agencies did not support claims of an assault on the institution.

“Senate siege? Was it under attack? It was not. The Senate was not under attack,” Castro said in a press briefing.

“It was only the statement made by Senator Alan Cayetano. As far as the government is concerned, the Senate was never under attack.”

Castro said what transpired was a contained security incident involving coordination issues between personnel stationed at the Senate complex and NBI agents deployed near an adjacent Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) facility.

She added NBI operatives did not disregard Senate authority during the operation.

“The question is, was the Senate correct in interfering with the service of the warrant of arrest?” she said, adding that respect for institutional boundaries should be observed by all parties.

On the evening of May 13, tensions in the Senate escalated after gunshots were heard while Senator Ronald Dela Rosa was inside the complex where he is under “protective custody” to prevent law enforcement action linked to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against him, due to killings during the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.

Initial accounts from Senate officials, including Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, described the incident as a possible “attack,” citing security alerts and confusion inside the chamber.

However, the NBI and the Philippine National Police (PNP) later said the situation involved warning shots fired during a tense standoff near a restricted access point between the Senate and GSIS compound.

Authorities have also maintained that Senate security personnel and NBI agents both discharged warning shots during the confrontation, which triggered a temporary lockdown and investigation.

Castro said the Palace cannot conclude whether the incident was staged or orchestrated, but urged the public to rely on verified reports and ongoing official investigations.