Screengrab from Senator Alan Peter Cayetano

Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano raised alarm Wednesday night after gunshots were reportedly heard inside the Senate complex amid the ongoing standoff involving Senator Ronald dela Rosa and authorities seeking to arrest him over an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant tied to the Duterte administration’s drug war.

Speaking in a Facebook Live broadcast, Cayetano said senators inside the building were instructed to turn off the lights and stay low following reports of possible armed individuals within the Senate premises.

“Okay, so Senator Loren and Senator Pia finally got in touch with the NBI Director. So they're here in the room, we have to turn off the lights dahil may putukan na nangyayari,” Cayetano said during the livestream.

According to Cayetano, Senators Loren Legarda and Pia Cayetano contacted NBI Director Melvin Matibag as tensions escalated inside the Senate compound.

“He said wala daw sila dito dahil pinaalis daw nila dito,” Cayetano claimed, referring to the NBI personnel.

Cayetano also questioned the situation on the ground as armed personnel were reportedly seen around the Senate complex.

“What will you do, Director, kung may putukan na at lahat ng staff mo at yung mga OSAA mo naka-vest na lahat and hindi malaman mangyayari,” he said.

The Senate President added that several senators had received warnings roughly 30 minutes earlier advising them to leave because “may mangyayari.”

“So again, kung sino nakikinig from the government, this is the Senate of the Philippines, we are allegedly under attack,” Cayetano said.

Reuters and other international media outlets reported that gunfire erupted at the Senate Wednesday night while armed personnel, including individuals in camouflage carrying rifles, were seen inside the compound. However, authorities have yet to officially confirm who fired the shots or what triggered the incident.

The confrontation comes after dela Rosa sought refuge inside the Senate earlier this week following attempts by National Bureau of Investigation personnel to serve an arrest warrant linked to the ICC case connected to former president Rodrigo Duterte.

The Senate complex was placed under lockdown Monday after CCTV footage showed dela Rosa running through hallways and stairwells while being pursued by NBI agents.

Several NBI personnel involved in the incident were later cited in contempt by the Senate and briefly held under Senate custody.

During the livestream, Cayetano also appealed for authorities to allow Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police officials inside the complex to help secure the area.

“Please escort them, please allow them in,” he said.

Cayetano further insisted senators would continue protecting dela Rosa while legal remedies remain pending before the Supreme Court.

“We're not going to leave Sen. Bato,” he said. “We are relying on the law, relying on the Constitution.”

As of posting time, authorities have not released an official statement identifying the source of the gunfire or confirming whether anyone was injured in the incident.