Former President Rodrigo Duterte attends the House quad committee hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (Photo from House of Representatives Media Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte faced the House quad-committee probe into his administration’s extrajudicial killings for hours and managed to pipe down his usual expletive-laden rants and cussing habit — well, almost.
For most of the time during Wednesday’s quad-panel hearing, Duterte was able to hold his tongue against cursing, although his other nasty tendency to let loose rather “mild” swear words still came now and then, prompting lawmakers to move to strike them out from the records.
At 10:49 p.m., however, Duterte officially gave in to his nature and called some bad police officers “sons of a b*tch.”
“There are many, sir, as equally as there are criminals who are cops. The only way to deal in my city, for me akin sir, is — pardon the word — death,” he said when quad committee lead presiding officer, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, asked him about bad eggs in the Philippine National Police.
“Kaya ako, I have the most disciplined police in the entire country. Pardon the word, but I will just relay kung anong sinasabi ko sa kanila: P*tang *na ka, ‘wag mong sabihing pulis (ka),” Duterte added.
(That’s why I have the most disciplined police in the entire country. Pardon the word, but I will just relay what I said before: you son of a b*tch, don’t tell me you are a police officer.)
READ: Duterte threatens to slap, hit Trillanes with mic at drug war probe
Immediately, the House quad committee co-chairpersons chimed in and raised a point of order – and then reminded the former president about the established committee rules that saying bad words or cursing will not be tolerated.
“Mr. Chairman, consistent with our rules, a while ago, Mr. President mentioned three times the word G-A-G-O, and I moved, Mr. Chairman, that we delete that from the record. And also that word as well,” quad committee co-chair, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, proposed, which members approved.
“I can even erase my mouth, sir, if you want,” Duterte pitched in.
Barbers, meanwhile, asked Duterte if he still could carry on with the hearing considering it was getting late already.
“You strike off from the record the foul language that we heard. Mr. President, do you want to rest? We can excuse you if you like,” Barbers asked the ex-president.
“No, sir,” Duterte replied.
Aside from Barbers, Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who also co-chairs the quad committee, urged Duterte to rest as he has started cursing.
“I appeal to our former president, please get some rest, I can sense that you are tired since you are starting to curse,” Abante said.
“Sir, if you would request it, I surrender. Only if I respect the person […] if I respect you, I will follow what you say. But if I do not have respect for you, I will slap you,” Duterte responded.
READ: Duterte dares ICC to begin probe immediately: ‘Baka mamatay na ako’
Even in the early moments of Wednesday’s quad committee hearing, there were many instances where discussions had to be suspended just to ease rising tensions. At one point, Duterte threatened to slap and eventually, seemed to aim his microphone at former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who was just a few seats away from him.
Duterte was seen on camera getting a hold of his microphone to throw against Trillanes, who dared the former president to sign a bank secrecy waiver.
The bank secrecy waiver came about after Trillanes claimed again that the bank accounts of the former president and his relatives were supposedly connected to drug lords.
Duterte also showed other signs of aggression during the quad committee hearing. For instance, when former Sen. Leila de Lima claimed Duterte was lying about not knowing her, the former president was seen taunting de Lima and supposedly raising a fist against her.
But in an ambush interview after the hearing, Barbers said he was happy with the outcome of the hearing and with how Duterte cooperated.
“I’m glad that there are no expletives, no foul language. Some curse words were mentioned, but generally, it was all calm, it was all orderly, and more importantly, we were able to elicit significant information for him,” Barbers said.
Duterte finally attended the House quad panel hearing – after being invited numerous times – to shed light on alleged human rights violations and extrajudicial killings in his brutal campaign against illegal drugs.
The former president has been a central figure in the probe, especially after former police officials delivered shocking testimonies implicating Duterte in the controversy. Previously, retired police colonel Royina Garma claimed that a Davao model — a rewards system — was implemented in the nationwide drug war.
Garma said Duterte called her in May 2016 — when he was president-elect — to discuss the creation of a task force that will implement the Davao template on a nationwide scale. The Davao template, Garma said, involved providing cash grants worth P20,000 to P1 million to police officers who kill drug suspects.