Active, retired cops sending feelers about testifying vs EJKs – solon

MANILA, Philippines — Several active and retired police officials have already sent feelers about their willingness to testify against past administration officials regarding human rights violations issues, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said on Friday.

Barbers said this in an online interview less than a week before the newly-formed House of Representatives quad-committee starts its probe on the interconnection between illegal activities in Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo) hubs, the illegal drug trade, and alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.

“Many have sent feelers to the quad committee, and these can be of help in our investigation. And because of this, they are welcome into the quad-comm, everyone who wants to speak the truth at our committee hearings that the quad-comm will conduct, they are very much welcome,” he said.

“It is up to them if they want to testify or give information in an open hearing, while we are hearing or during an executive session, should they believe that the information that will be shared to us has national security implications, we can allow an executive session,” he added.

Barbers refrained from divulging the identities of the officials that have sent feelers, as he wanted to protect them and refrain from preempting their testimonies.

“We will weigh their testimonies. If we see that their testimonies will help our investigation, we will accept that […] As to who they are, who are these people, maybe for the meantime, I would keep them anonymous as we also have to protect their safety,” the lawmaker said.

“Because if their security is under threat, they may back out. So, we’re very, very careful about this because we want to help them too,” he added.

However, Barbers clarified that people who want to testify should not ask for anything in return.

“But we hope that they would not ask for anything in exchange. Because here, we do not tolerate those asking for favors. We should do this for the country, as this is not intended to serve anyone but the Filipino people,” he said.

“Our goal here is to ferret out the truth about national topics, or issues that the Filipino people should know,” he added.

Barbers did not mention anyone, but before his statements, the lawmaker was talking about how Police Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. supposedly asked for a recommendation to be the next Philippine National Police (PNP) chief in exchange for divulging information on alleged EJKs under the Duterte administration.

READ: PNP generals pressured to testify vs Duterte? That’s ‘gossip,’ solon says

Initially, Senator Ronald dela Rosa claimed that Caramat was one of past and present PNP officials being pressured by House officials to testify against him and Duterte regarding drug war complaints before the International Criminal Court.

However, Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Ricardo de Leon separately denied pressuring Caramat, with both saying that they saw Caramat asking House Speaker Martin Romualdez for the PNP chief recommendation instead.

READ: Nica chief, Co deny pressing PNP execs to testify in ICC

Earlier, Barbers said claims of current and former PNP officials being pressured appear to be just “marites” (gossip).

Barbers is one of the heads of the four committees tasked to investigate the links between Pogos, the illegal drug trade, and alleged EJKs in the Duterte administration’s drug war.

The following committees and their chairpersons were tasked under House Resolution (HR) No. 1880 to check the interconnection of the issues:

• Committee on dangerous drugs (Barbers)
• Committee on public order and safety (Santa Rosa Rep. Dan Fernandez)
• Committee on public accounts (Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano)
• Committee on human rights (Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.)

READ: Quad-committee probe on EJKs, Pogos not aimed at Dutertes – panel