Duterte assured of fair, respectful House EJK probe

FILE PHOTO: Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., chair of the House committee on human rights, delivers his speech during the start of their hearing on alleged 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 — Ex-President Rodrigo Duterte was assured that lawmakers would be “fair and respectful to him” during a House panel hearing on extrajudicial killings.

The House of Representatives committee on human rights extended an invitation to Duterte to attend the hearing, which should be a good opportunity for the former top leader of the nation to address allegations of rights abuses in his administration’s “drug war”, according to Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.

“The invitation to former President Rodrigo Duterte is an opportunity for him to personally address issues that have been brought to light during our ongoing inquiry regarding the war on drugs that was undertaken during his administration,” said panel chair Abante.

“If the former President Duterte chooses to appear, the Committee will be as fair and respectful to him as it has been to every resource person invited to testify during the proceedings. We will also extend every courtesy due to a past Chief Executive and former member of the House,” he added.

READ: Duterte OK to show up in courts, but not in House EJK probe – Roque 

Aside from Duterte, the House committee likewise invited Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa to answer testimonies of drug war victims’ families and relatives. Dela Rosa was chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the Duterte administration, and was tagged as among main enforcers of the campaign against illegal drugs.

But Duterte’s former spokesperson, lawyer Harry Roque, said the ex-president will not attend the House hearings.

Roque said in a statement posted on his official Facebook page that Duterte will invoke his right against self-incrimination, noting that under the 1987 Constitution, Congress cannot compel the former president to attend inquiries.

READ: Dela Rosa admits rights abuses in ‘drug war’: Probe each case separately

Abante, however, emphasized that the objective of his panel’s probe is to hear all sides of the story, especially since extrajudicial killing is a sensitive topic.

“Let me reiterate that the goal of this inquiry is to hear all sides, listen to all perspectives, and to gather as much information (as) possible regarding the extrajudicial killings allegedly committed in connection with the war on drugs,” he explained.

“We welcome all input, especially from the officials and personalities who were involved in the previous administration’s campaign against illegal drugs, as we believe this will help the Committee when it prepares its report and recommendations,” he added.