Dutertes should address alleged drug link — lawmaker

Former President Rodrigo Duterte (L) and Vice President Sara Duterte | PHOTOS: Official Facebook pages of Rody Duterte and Inday Sara Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte and his family should address their alleged involvement in illegal drug trade and extrajudicial killings, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said on Monday.

Chua said the Dutertes should explain because former President Duterte’s ex-economic adviser Michael Yang has been dragged into the inquiry of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs.

The lawmaker also noted that former police officer Eduardo Acierto claimed that former President Duterte wanted the military and the police to kill him due to his move to have Yang investigated because of his alleged link to the illegal drug trade.

READ: ‘Ex-President Duterte wants military, police to kill me,’ says Acierto

“As past and present government officials, it is the duty of the Dutertes to accord the Filipino people the respect that they deserve and answer these serious allegations of connections to illegal drugs and the extrajudicial killings,” Chua said.

“Your economic adviser was linked to illegal drug trade, and then you don’t confront the issue head-on? It defies human experience if they will continue to ignore the issue and pursue political deflection as a strategy,” he added.

Chua was referring to Vice President Sara Duterte’s decision to skip the State of the Nation Address on July 22 and appoint herself as “designated survivor.”

READ: A first: Sara to skip Marcos’ Sona, names self ‘designated survivor’

He was also referring to the Vice President’s announcement that her father and brothers, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte, will run for senator in 2025.

READ: VP Duterte: My father, brothers will run for senator in 2025

“The recent controversial ‘designated survivor’ statement of Vice President Sara Duterte is a prime example of this. As the issue hangs over the heads of the Duterte family, instead of answering directly, they deflect the issue,” the lawmaker pointed out.

“They are neglecting their duty to the people, and they are setting a very poor example to those in public service. What happened to integrity and honesty among government officials?” he added.

Vice President Duterte announced that her father and brothers would join the senatorial race last June 25. On the same day, the House Committee on Human Rights invited former President Duterte and Senator Ronald dela Rosa to the drug war probe.

READ: Duterte, dela Rosa invited to House hearing on drug war deaths

She made the “designated survivor” remark on July 11, a day after Yang was cited for contempt by the House dangerous drugs panel.

Yang’s possible link to the illegal drug trade floated after it was revealed that one of the warehouses in Pampanga that were used to store illegal drugs had links to Lincoln Ong, Yang’s translator who was a part of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. The company was investigated for alleged overpricing of medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

READ: Michael Yang cited for contempt, ordered arrested by House panel

There have been calls to hold former President Duterte accountable for the drug war, with many believing that the total number of drug suspects killed in anti-illegal drug operations — 6,250 — was way less than what human rights groups have reported.

Last June, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said in a Committee on Human Rights hearing that the Office of the President under Duterte listed over 20,322 drug-war-related deaths as accomplishments in a 2017 year-end report sent to the Supreme Court.

READ: Diokno: Duterte’s OP listed 20,322 drug-war deaths as accomplishments

With reports from Felice Nafarrete, trainee