MANILA, Philippines. A source inside the Philippine Senate compound tells me gunfire erupted less than an hour ago. A lawmaker wanted by the International Criminal Court is holed up inside, refusing to surrender. The UK embassy has just gone on alert. This is not a drill.
I have obtained a police dispatch confirming at least two bursts of automatic weapon fire from the Senate building's east wing. The target: congressman Rodrigo Valdez, a former military general accused of ordering extrajudicial killings during the 2016 drug war. The ICC issued a sealed warrant for his arrest six weeks ago. Sources in the Department of Justice confirm Valdez learned of the warrant this morning and barricaded himself in his office with a security detail.
A senior police officer who refused to be named told me: 'He has maybe seven men, all armed. We are trying to negotiate, but he says he will not go to The Hague. He would rather die.'
Witnesses say Valdez fired warning shots when police breached the outer corridor. Two officers are treated for minor injuries from shattered glass. No fatalities yet.
Why the UK embassy is on alert is unclear. Unconfirmed intelligence suggests Valdez may have links to a British-registered shell company used to launder drug money. I have seen documents linking his wife to a London-based property firm with suspicious transactions. The National Crime Agency is reportedly on standby.
This follows a pattern. Valdez has been a kingpin in a network of corrupt politicians and military officers siphoning off counter-narcotics funds. My investigation into his finances revealed offshore accounts in the Caymans, a villa in Spain, and a trust fund in Singapore. The ICC warrant mentions 'systematic murder for personal gain.'
Inside the Senate, chaos. Staff are evacuated, senators in emergency session. Valdez's allies are calling for a standoff, demanding immunity. But sources say President Ramos has made it clear: no deals. The ICC warrant is non-negotiable, and the Philippines is bound by international law.
The standoff is entering its fourth hour. I am told Valdez is demanding a helicopter to a private airstrip north of the city. Police have refused. The area is cordoned off, snipers on adjacent rooftops.
This is a stain on a nation already drowning in corruption. Valdez represents the old guard: men who kill with impunity and steal with a smile. The UK embassy alert suggests this is bigger than one man. Money trails have ways of crossing borders, and bodies have ways of washing up on foreign shores.
I will update as more details emerge. For now, the Philippine Senate is a war zone, and a fugitive from justice is barricaded inside. The world is watching.
