Panelo not surprised quad comm probe pushed through: ‘They’re practical’

MANILA, Philippines — Former Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo is not surprised that the House of Representatives’ quad committee hearing pushed through.

He believes the lawmakers are practical and reasonable individuals.

Panelo made the remark in an ambush interview on Wednesday — just after former President Rodrigo Duterte arrived at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.

He said the quad committee members saw the practicality of continuing the hearing to accommodate the biggest source of information.

“Naging praktikal sila […] Hindi naman po ako nagulat kasi tingin ko naman sa kanila, mga reasonable miyembro ng komite,” he noted.

(They became practical. I was not surprised because I see them as reasonable members of the committee.)

“Nakita nila ang katwiran na pwedeng ituloy natin dahil nandyan naman ang resource person – ang pinakamahalagang testigo na maaaring pagkunan nila ng impormasyon. Kaya tama ang decision nila. Ituloy na lang natin,” Panelo said.

(They saw the reason that we can go on with the hearing since the resource person is there – the most important witness from whom they can get information. That’s why their decision is correct. Let’s just continue.)

“Saka para matigil na ho ‘yong mga kantyawan – que sa natatakot, o kayo yata ‘yung natatakot. Para mawala na nga ho lahat ‘yan. Sabi nga ni Presidente, para magka-alaman na, pupunta na ako,” he added.

(So that the jeering will stop – like being told that there’s fear… or that you are the ones who are afraid so that all these will be gone… As the president said, so that all will be made known once and for all, I will go there. )

According to Panelo, Duterte wants to end the squabbles between the quad committee chairpersons and his supporters — that the hearing was canceled because lawmakers became afraid.

“Parang nga matigil na ‘yong kantyawan, ‘O sige, nandito na ako. Kayo yata ‘yung natakot,’ ‘yun ang sabi ng tao. Pero si Presidente Duterte, hindi pinapansin ‘yon,” the former presidential spokesperson said.

(To end the ridicule, ‘Okay, I’m here now. You seem to be the ones who are frightened,’ that’s what the people said. But President Duterte does not pay attention to that.)

(Katunayan, tinawagan ako ni Presidente Duterte. Sinabi nya, ‘Samahan mo ako sa House of Reps.’  Sabi ko, ‘Hindi na tuloy ah.’  (Sabi niya,) ‘Pupunta pa rin ako,’” Panelo recalled.

(As a matter of fact, President Duterte called me. He said, ‘Accompany me to the House of Reps.’ I told him, ‘It won’t push through anymore.’ (He said) ‘I will still go.’)

“Sabi ko, ‘Bakit?’ (Sabi nya,) ‘Para bigyan ko ng paggalang ang institusyon kung saan ako ay dating miyembro,’” he added.

(I asked, ‘Why?’ He said,’So that I can give respect to the institution where I was once a member.’)

On Tuesday, quad committee lead presiding officer and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers formally announced that the Wednesday hearing was rescheduled.

He explained that they needed to verify a huge number of testimonies.

However, Duterte’s supporters believe the hearing was canceled because the lawmakers got scared of Duterte.

Barbers, however, said, in the first place, Duterte never confirmed that he was attending the proceeding before the quad committee leadership decided to reschedule the hearing.

READ: Quad comm reschedules drug war probe to verify testimonies 

READ: Initially canceled quad comm hearing to push through – House exec 

Duterte’s name has been mentioned several times in the quad committee hearings, due to the drug war he enforced while he was president.

Revelations from former police officials, like retired colonel Royina Garma’s claims about the existence of a rewards system in the drug war, have bolstered lawmakers’ belief that there were irregularities in anti-drug operations.

According to Garma, Duterte called her in 2016 about creating a task force to implement the so-called Davao template nationwide.

The Davao template, Garma said, involved providing cash grants worth P20,000 to P1 million to cops who kill drug suspects.

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

Garma also claimed that the existence of the Davao Death Squad — a team that former President Duterte supposedly formed while he was Davao City mayor — was common knowledge among police officers in the area.

At a Senate hearing last October 28, Duterte said he created a seven-man hit squad made up of gangsters when he was Davao City mayor.

However, he retracted his story when senators asked for a clarification.

READ: Duterte admits to having ‘death squad,’ later insists it’s not one