De Lima, Abante to Duterte: Get well soon, attend next drug war hearing

Rodrigo Duterte — MALACAÑANG FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Leila de Lima and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. wished that former president Rodrigo Duterte would get well soon so that he could attend the next House of Representatives’ quad committee hearing on alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the drug war.

According to Duterte’s lawyer Martin Delgra III, the former president wanted to attend the hearing but he was feeling unwell, so he requested to be excused from attending.

During the ninth quad committee hearing on Tuesday, Abante said he also hoped other individuals being asked to attend would come along with Duterte.

“To former president Rodrigo Duterte, who has signified his intention to appear before the quad committee, get well soon. I hope you can attend the next hearing,” Abante said.

“I hope other invited personalities who are in hiding will accompany you here.  I hope you can answer many of our questions,” he added.

De Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte, also shared the same sentiments in an ambush interview before the quad committee hearing.

“Well, I hope he gets well so he would have the health to face the music. So I hope, for former president Duterte, I hope you get well, get better, so that you have the strength to face everything,” she said.

In a letter to the quad committee, Delgra said Duterte had just arrived in Davao City last October 17 and received the letter from the House a day after.

READ: Rodrigo Duterte wants to attend drug war probe but not feeling well – lawyer

Delgra also said Duterte wanted to attend the hearings after November 1.

The letter was addressed to quad committee lead presiding officer, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

On Monday, Barbers said the letter to Duterte was a reiteration of their invitation to him, which was issued after the second quad committee hearing last August 22.

Duterte’s name was mentioned several times during the course of the quad committee hearings, which started on August 16.

At the second hearing alone, Duterte was accused of being behind the killing of three Chinese nationals detained at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

According to the testimony of confessed killer Leopoldo Tan, he and Fernando Magdadaro were hired to kill Chu Kin Tung, Jackson Lee, and Peter Wang who were serving time for drug-related charges.

Tan claimed that Bureau of Corrections official S/Supt. Gerardo Padilla talked to a person over the phone after the alleged kill order was carried out. Tan identified the person as Duterte. He also said Duterte even congratulated Padilla.

READ: Duterte ordered killing of 3 Chinese men in 2016, hitman claims

Discussions on EJKs moved towards claims that former police colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo masterminded the killing of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga, a former police general.

Garma was PCSO general manager when the murder happened. Garma and Leonardo, who were believed to have close ties to Duterte, denied the allegations.

Garma eventually admitted that the drug war implemented across the country was based on a “Davao template” where police officers involved in killings would be given monetary rewards.

Testifying before the quad committee last October 11, Garma said Duterte contacted her in May 2016 about the creation of a national task force. He also allegedly tasked her to find a Philippine National Police (PNP) officer or operative who is a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, who can implement the drug war on a national scale and “replicate the Davao model.”

READ: Garma says Davao drug war template, rewards system applied in entire PH

Duterte’s former spokesperson Salvador Panelo has chided the quad committee for hearing testimonies from convicted felons to implicate the former president.

In a statement sent to reporters, Panelo stressed that the convicts may only be saying unfavorable things against Duterte and his family to obtain favors regarding their cases.

READ: Duterte ‘enemies’ using convicts to do ‘demolition job’ – Panelo