FILE PHOTO: Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., chair of the House committee on human rights, delivers his speech during the start of the panel’s hearing on the extrajudicial killings during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs in this photo taken on May 21, 2024 (Photo screengrab from House of Representatives YouTube livestream)
MANILA, Philippines — Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante now believes that the past administration’s war against illegal drugs was deceitful, urging the public to refrain from voting for 2025 polls candidates who disrespect human rights.
Abante, during the hearing of the House of Representatives’ committee on human rights on Tuesday, said he was convinced by the different testimonies of drug war victims’ relatives about the allegedly irregular police operations.
“Ganito ‘no, realizing what has happened, palagay ko maniniwala na ako na the war on drugs is quite deceitful, oo. Why po deceitful? Sapagkat hanggang ngayon marami pang drugs eh. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa natatapos ‘yan,” Abanted said during the hearing of the committee which he heads.
(It’s like this, realizing what has happened, I think I can believe that the war on drugs is quite deceitful. Why deceitful? Because up to now, there are a lot of illegal drugs. The fight has not been finished.)
“Pangalawa, akin pong susuportahan ‘yong sinabi ni Congressman (Romeo) Acop, maghanda na po tayo sa next elections. ‘Wag nating hayaang manalo ang mga pulitiko na hindi naniniwala sa human rights. Kinakailangan po ang manalong pulitiko meron pong passion sa Pilipino, ang mga pulitiko na mananalo ay naniniwala po sa due process and law, hindi po kaagad kumikitil o pumapatay,” he added.
(Second, I will support what Congressman (Romeo) Acop said, let us prepare for the next elections. Let us not allow politicians who do not believe in human rights to win. We need to have politicians who are passionate about people’s rights, those who believe in due process and law, and not those who immediately resort to killing suspects.)
Different individuals testified before the committee, stating that their sons or husbands were killed when armed men — believed to be police officers — barged in to their homes. No less than Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Acop, a former police general, noted that the modus operandi of the alleged police officers were similar.
It was also Acop who first noted that the officials who implemented the drug war — former president Rodrigo Duterte, in particular — got into office because people voted for them.
“So these people came into power and their policies were the ones implemented. So gano’n po ‘yon, ‘yon ang nangyari. Now, kung titignan po natin, ‘yong ating niluklok, if we compare it to the different presidents of this country, siya po ang pinaka-mataas (ang popularity),” Acop said.
(So these people came into power and their policies were the ones implemented. That’s it, that’s what happened. Now if you would take a look at the officials we elected, if we compare it to the different presidents of this country, he had the highest popularity rating.)
The Antipolo lawmaker also said that the decision is now in the people’s hands now that Duterte and his sons were said to be gunning for a Senate seat.
The Dutertes’ aspirations were announced earlier by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
“History will tell us and up to now, if you ask the ratings, meron pa rin siyang sizable na popularity. Hanggang ngayon, sabi nga ni Congresswoman France (Castro) at saka si Congressman (Zia Alonto) Adiong, sinabi nila, they (Dutertes) will run for the Senate,” Acop said.
(History will tell us and up to now, if you ask the ratings, he still has a sizable na popularity. Up to now, as Congresswoman France and Congressman Adiong said, they (Dutertes) will run for the Senate,” Acop said.
“So na sa inyo na ngayon ‘yong desisyon (So the decision is in your hands),” he added.
READ: VP Duterte: My father, brothers will run for senator in 2025
The committee has been listening to several testimonies from the drug war victims’ kin, in line with its investigation of alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the Duterte administration’s drug war.
Earlier, Merly Fernandez of Caloocan’s Barangay Bagong Silang said that her son, Wesley Fernandez, who was killed by masked individuals in October 2016, was protesting his killing even in his dying moments.
Both Fernandez’ son and husband were shot in front of her and her grandchildren.
READ: War on drugs: The violence, scars, doubts and families it left behind
Previously, the committee also listened to Christine Pascual, mother of 17-year-old Joshua Pascual Laxamana who was killed by police officers in Pangasinan during the implementation of the past administration’s drug war.
Cops said the minor fired against operatives, but Pascual insists that Laxamana was merely coming home from a DotA tournament in Baguio City and was just caught in the middle of the operation.
READ: ‘Masakit pa rin’: Drug war fatality’s mom still can’t accept son’s fate
Earlier, Abante approved a motion to formally invite Duterte and first police chief as president, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, to the hearing. It is unclear if the two will show up, as they did not show up to the committee probe despite previously being informed about the hearings.