Ruptly
"Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday condemned what she described as ‘blatant disrespect’ toward the Senate following a tense incident in which gunshots were reportedly heard inside the upper chamber. Speaking outside the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Duterte said the events unfolding in the Philippines reflected a ‘grave abuse of power.’ “What is happening to our country right now is both saddening and infuriating,” she said. “Especially the blatant disrespect being shown toward the institution of the Senate.” The vice president is currently in the Netherlands visiting her father, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who remains in ICC custody facing crimes against humanity charges linked to his administration’s anti-drug campaign. Duterte also addressed reports involving Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, a close ally of her father and former police chief, saying she had attempted to contact him before communication was disrupted during the incident. “I was able to talk to someone inside the Senate earlier, but that was before the chaos and the gunfire broke out,” she said, adding that she was preparing to enter the ICC detention unit at the time. The exact circumstances surrounding the reported gunfire inside the Senate on Wednesday evening remain unclear. Reports said that Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa sought refuge at the building, claiming that he is wanted by the ICC, while armed military men were seen in the Senate building. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has denied any government involvement and said both the Senate and the Philippine National Police would conduct a full investigation. Duterte also criticised the ICC proceedings against her father and warned against possible legal action targeting dela Rosa, arguing that foreign courts have no jurisdiction in the Philippines unless local courts formally recognise their rulings. “That is not right. It cannot be. Because we have a Constitution that we follow. Everyone says they stand for the Constitution, don't they?” she stressed. The political tensions come as the Philippine Senate prepares to convene as an impeachment court on May 18 ahead of proceedings against Sara Duterte herself. The vice president has been accused of misusing public funds, accumulating unexplained wealth and threatening President Marcos Jr, his wife and the former House speaker — allegations she denies. Once viewed as Marcos’s closest political ally, Duterte is now at the centre of a growing power struggle between two of the Philippines’ most influential political dynasties ahead of the 2028 presidential race."
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