CRIMES LINKED TO DRUG WAR In this Sept. 13, 2024 photo, the quad committee of the House of Representatives resumes its investigation into the cases of extrajudicial killings under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. (Picture from HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES)
MANILA, Philippines — Members of the House of Representatives quad committee looking into President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s bloody drug war offered to shoulder his airfare and accommodations just so he could attend its hearings.
Quad comm leaders — namely its chair Robert Ace Barbers; co-chairs Dan Fernandez, Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., and Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano; vice chair Romeo Acop; Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr.; and Deputy Speaker David “Jay-jay” Suarez — likewise offered to fund the expenses of his entourage.
In a statement on Sunday, lawmakers said they made the offer “to remove any financial barriers Duterte cited as reasons for missing the panel’s November 7 hearing.”
READ: Former President Duterte skipping House quad comm hearing on drug war
“If finances are truly an issue, we’re ready to cover his travel and accommodations ourselves. This is about the people’s right to know the truth about alleged abuses in his administration’s anti-drug operations,” Barbers said.
Paduano expressed his frustration saying that Duterte seemed to be intentionally avoiding accountability.
“Naglolokohan tayo dito. Natatakot siya na pumunta dito?” Paduano asked, referring to a letter from Duterte’s lawyer, Atty. Martin Delgra III, which cited health reasons for the absence of the former chief executive.
(We are fooling ourselves here. Is he afraid to come here?)
“The committee is willing to help in any way possible. We’re all ready to contribute personally if that’s what it takes. This is about accountability, not excuses,” Fernandez, for his part, said.
Abante added they are “offering to remove every obstacle.”
“We’re even willing to ‘chip in’ if it means he can no longer avoid the inquiry. The victims’ families deserve the truth,” he said.
In a letter sent to the office of Barbers, Delgra said that he received the mega panel’s invitation on behalf of his client last November 2.
Upon consultation with his client, Delgra said Duterte opted to skip the probe.
Duterte expressed doubt about the integrity of the quad comm and “to save the government time and taxpayer’s money” since he already attended a recent Senate hearing probing a similar matter.
Although the former president “respects and recognizes the authority of the Honorable Committees to conduct inquiries, in aid of legislation,” Delgra noted that his client “is already doubtful” of the mega panel’s integrity, as well as its “independence, and probity.”
Based on reports, Duterte’s war on drugs left at least 6,000 people dead.
However, human rights watchdog Karapatan said the former chief executive should be held accountable for the extrajudicial killings of 30,000 individuals allegedly involved in drugs, the alleged summary execution of 422 political activists, and the reported frustrated extrajudicial killings of 544 other persons.