Facade of the House of Representatives. | PHOTO: Official website of the House of Representatives / congress.gov.ph
MANILA, Philippines — The four committees assigned to probe the possible correlation between Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), the illegal drug trade, and human rights violations would start their hearing in Pampanga as several issues were from the province.
During the meeting of the quad-panel on Monday, committee chairpersons and ex-officio members announced that the hearing would start on Friday at the Villa de Bacolor Convention Center in Bacolor, Pampanga.
“To add to the information shared by Chairman Dan Fernandez as to the reason why we’re doing…a public hearing outside of the premises of the House of Representatives, first venue will be in Pampanga because the drugs that were discovered were in Mexico, Pampanga, as well as the presence of illegal Pogos operating in… Porac,” Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace said.
“And likewise, the land acquisition by foreign nationals in the province of Pampanga as well,” he added.
Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez said the proximity of people involved in the drug bust and Pogo was also a factor.
“We have decided, the members of the quad-comm, to have an onsite [hearing] primarily because there are some resource speakers who reasoned out that they cannot attend hearings because they are from Pampanga. It is far especially for those incorporators that never attended our hearings,” he explained.
The budget season is another consideration as most of the rooms in the House are being used for the deliberations on the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025, he added.
The quad-panel’s meeting on Monday was held to set the ground rules for Friday’s hearing and other subsequent probes.
Many issues that were tackled before the quad-committee was formed were from Pampanga.
The House committee on dangerous drugs headed by Barbers focused on the controlled drug delivery operation wherein authorities traced shabu from the Port of Subic to a warehouse in Mexico, Pampanga.
READ: P3.6-B worth of shabu seized in Pampanga warehouse
The panel discovered that the warehouse was owned by Empire 999 Realty Corporation, which was being controlled by a certain Willie Ong, whom panel members believe is a Chinese national illegally acquiring land in Pampanga.
READ: Owner of warehouse storing drugs used fake identity, says Barbers
On the other hand, the House committee on public order and safety chaired by Fernandez covered issues on the Pogo hub in Porac, one of the two gaming sites in Central Luzon that were raided for human trafficking allegations.
Authorities rescued 186 foreign and Filipino workers during the Porac Pogo hub raid last June 4. They rescued 371 Filipinos and 497 foreigners during the Bamban Pogo raid in March.
The human rights panel chaired by Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante and the committee on public accounts headed by Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano are also part of the quad-panel.
The Minority bloc was also represented in the proceedings on Monday.
During the meeting, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said it might be impossible to discuss all interconnected issues and question all resource persons that the quad-committee wants to invite within a limited time.
“If we would want the witnesses to be there, we need to [organize] because what if they are not related to the other issues that we will tackle? We might not be able to invite them to the onsite hearing. So we will reserve it for another hearing, is that how it will work, Mr. Chair?” Brosas asked.
“Because if we cannot question resource persons there because there are many things to discuss, or if there are witnesses who are directly involved in the Pampanga issue, maybe we will just invite them some other time,” she added.
Brosas also asked if it is possible to have a list of resource persons before the hearing so that lawmakers can narrow down questions.
“Mr. Chair, we want to get a copy of the invitees and the witnesses… so we can prepare for the interpellation for Friday. Because some might not be subjected to questioning but might actually be crucial to the hearings,” she said.
Barbers agreed and instructed committee secretaries to inform members beforehand.
The quad-committee has not yet released a list of individuals who would be invited, but Abante confirmed on Aug.7 that they would be inviting former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Ronald dela Rosa, the architects of the Duterte administration’s drug war.
Duterte and Dela Rosa face complaints before the International Criminal Court due to alleged rights violations during the drug war.
READ: Duterte, dela Rosa invited to House hearings on Pogos, drug trade links
Last Aug. 9, Barbers confirmed that several active and retired police officials sent feelers about their willingness to testify against the Duterte administration.
READ: Active, retired cops sending feelers about testifying vs EJKs – solon