Content creator and pharmacist Arshie Larga on Wednesday, May 13, weighed in on the chaos at the Senate complex after gunshots were reported amid tensions surrounding an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
READ: Gunshots fired in standoff at Philippine Senate over ICC suspect
‘Could have been avoided’
“Gunshots inside the Senate and innocent civilians, media personnel, and staff could have been caught in the middle of it all. Kung peacefully na lang sana sumuko si Bato, this situation could have been avoided. Grabeng kaguluhan ang dinala mo, Bato,” Arshie wrote on social media.
In a separate post, Arshie, who has 4.3 million followers on TikTok, said younger Filipinos are closely watching the unfolding events and may carry those memories into the next national elections.
‘We will remember’
“Nanunuod at nakikinig ang mga kabataan. We see what is happening, and we will remember the decisions and actions being made today. Darating ang 2028, and many people will use their voices and votes to demand better leadership and accountability for the country,” he said.
The posts came as tensions intensified at the Senate complex Wednesday evening following reports of gunshots and a lockdown linked to the ICC warrant against dela Rosa.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called for calm and said no government personnel were involved in the incident. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
READ: Marcos says government not involved in Senate gunfire incident | No casualties reported after gunfire in Senate, official says
Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief and key figure in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, had earlier urged supporters to help block his possible arrest and transfer to The Hague.
READ: Explainer: Who is Ronald dela Rosa, the senator at center of Senate shootout? | Bato Dela Rosa says arrest imminent, urges public to block ICC transfer | Drug war enforcer Dela Rosa urges Marcos to not hand him over to ICC
The senator, who has been staying at the Senate under legislative protection since Monday, is facing crimes against humanity charges before the ICC in connection with Duterte’s controversial “war on drugs.”
The Hague-based court recently unsealed the arrest warrant against dela Rosa, who has denied involvement in unlawful killings and insists any transfer to the ICC would be illegal because the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2018.
—Rosette Adel, John Marwin Elao; With reports from Reuters
