Romualdez on quad comm drug war probe: House won’t yield to pressure

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (Official Facebook page of the House of Representatives of the Philippines)

MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez expressed confidence in the ongoing probe of the quad committee into the previous administration’s drug war and alleged extrajudicial killings, as he warned those who prevent the truth from coming out “will not succeed.”

In his speech during the opening of the lower chamber’s session on Monday, Romualdez said the members of the House “will stand their ground” and will not yield to any pressure or attacks.

“Sa mga nagtatangka na pigilan tayo sa paghahanap ng katotohanan at katarungan, isa lamang ang sasabihin ko sa inyo: hindi kayo magtatagumpay sa masamang hangarin ninyo,” the Romualdez stressed. 

(To those who attempt to prevent us from seeking truth and justice, I have only one thing to say to you: you will not succeed in your evil intentions.)

“In this House of the People, we are on the right side of history. And make no mistake — no matter the challenges, no matter the opposition — we will stand our ground. We will not yield to intimidation or pressure. We will not be swayed by the attacks hurled against us,” he added. 

For those who question the motive of the ongoing probe, Romualdez said that they are here “for the people and for the truth.”

“Dahil unti-unti na nating nakikita ang liwanag at katotohanan, asahan natin na lalo pang titindi ang pag-atake sa ating institusyon. subalit hindi tayo matitinag. hindi tayo papayag na muling bumalik ang panahon ng kadiliman at kasamaan,” the House leader said. 

(Since we are slowly seeing the light and truth, let’s expect the attack on our institution to intensify. But we will not be swayed. We will not allow darkness and evil to return.)

“Our work transcends personal ambition; it is about laying the foundation for a nation that is free, just, and governed by the rule of law. We are building a legacy that our children and grandchildren can look back on with pride,” he added. 

During the previous quad comm hearings,  former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager and retired police colonel Royina Garma alleged that then president Rodrigo Duterte and other high-ranking officials during his administration sanctioned covert operations replicating the Davao City model of extrajudicial killings on a national scale.

In a news segment in Sonshine Media Network International, Duterte said that he would be “happy” to appear before the “upper and the lower house of Congress.”

 “And because there are many persons already called or about to be called, baka may ibang tao pa mag-ano (other people might be)… It’s all about me, edi ako na lang (then it’s better if it’s just me). Bakit pa yung ibang tao? Ako na mismo ang tawagin nila (Why are they including other people, just call me),” Duterte said last October 18.

Duterte, in last month’s Senate inquiry, confessed that he assembled a seven-man hit squad when he was Davao City mayor during a Senate briefing.

He also disclosed that he did not tap police officers as they might be in a quandary if they got suspended for operations they conducted.

Duterte also pointed out that the term “death squad” was loosely used, as he revealed that all former national police chiefs, including  now-Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, retired police Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao, retired Gen. Archie Gamboa, and retired Gen. Debold Sinas, led death squads.

But, the former president clarified that he had not ordered the summary killing of anyone, stressing that his directive was to provoke suspects to fight so that they could be killed.

The next hearing of the quad comm is set on Thursday,  November 7.