Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. expressed confidence that the call for support made by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa among Philippine Military Academy (PMA) alumni will not have any impact on active-duty personnel, saying the Armed Forces remain professional and apolitical.

Teodoro, however, acknowledged that the appeal could resonate among retired military officers who may be more open to political persuasion.

“Probably will influence those that are retired for political support. Those in the ranks are professionals and this will not affect them,” Teodoro told reporters on Friday.

“Yung mga panawagan sa Armed Forces na mag-aklas… from any party that has no basis in law,” he added.

It can be recalled that dela Rosa, a member of PMA Sinagtala Class of 1986, sang the PMA hymn inside the Senate on Wednesday, May 13, before members of the media, as a call for “peaceful” support from fellow PMA “mistahs” amid reports of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against him.

“When bells for us are rung, and our last taps is sung… Thy virtues to display, Academy oh hail to thee,” Dela Rosa sang.

Dela Rosa resurfaced at the Senate on May 11 after a six-month absence, coinciding with a leadership shakeup that saw Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano replace Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III as Senate President.

Prior to the leadership change in the Senate, personnel from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group attempted to serve an arrest warrant on dela Rosa.

The ICC has confirmed the existence of an arrest warrant against dela Rosa over his alleged role in the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign, where he is being investigated for possible crimes against humanity linked to drug war killings.

Senate leadership placed dela Rosa under Senate protective custody, allowing him to remain inside the chamber under security protection while legal questions surrounding the ICC warrant remained unresolved.

Tensions escalated further on Wednesday evening after reports of gunfire inside the Senate complex. Authorities later clarified conflicting accounts, with the NBI saying no agents were deployed at the time of the incident as personnel were attending a separate meeting.

Acting head of the Senate’s Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms (OSAA) Mao Aplasca denied allegations that the incident was staged or that he facilitated any escape of a fellow PMA “mistah.”

Aplasca confirmed he fired a warning shot during the incident, citing rules of engagement and what he described as a perceived security threat.

The OSAA chief is now under six-month preventive suspension, according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla.