Lawmakers from the House of Representatives hold the third hearing of the quad committee on August 28, 2024. The panel was tasked to probe the possible correlation between illegal activities in Philippine offshore gambling operators, the illegal drug trade, and human rights violations during the drug war. (Photo from the House of Representatives Media Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — The House quad committee will recommend the filing of complaints against at least 10 individuals linked to illegal drug trade, Philippine offshore gambling operators (Pogos), and extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the Duterte administration.
Panel chair and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers made the revelation in a chance interview on Tuesday when asked about the details of the quad panel’s report, which will be submitted to the plenary next week.
READ: Duterte: Taking responsibility for drug war can be ‘confession of guilt’
“At least close to 10 maybe … Basta may kakasuhan (We will file complaints),” Barbers said.
“All our recommendations, assuming we will recommend the filing of criminal and administrative cases, will involve active, retired, and recently retired. All that will be included in our recommendations,” he added.
Barbers opted not to reveal details on these individuals. He only said concerned agencies would be present during the submission of the report.
“If I tell you what case they are related, you will already find out who this is,” he explained.
“The DOJ (Department of Justice) will be there, the Office of the Ombudsman will be there, the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) will probably be there. Just to give you a tip of what recommendations we will report next week,” he added.
Among the prominent personalities who attended the mega panel’s probe was former President Rodrigo Duterte.
During the hearing last November 13, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro asked Duterte if his statement of taking “full, legal, and moral responsibility” for his administration’s bloody drug war could be considered an “extrajudicial confession of guilt.”
“In the sense yes, I can’t do anything about it anymore,” Duterte said.
“Are you saying yes?” Luistro asked.
“Yes, because I ordered the campaign against illegal drugs. At kung anong ginawa nila, whether illegal or not, ako nag-utos (Whatever they did, illegal or not, I ordered it). In that sense, I take that responsibility for their actions,” Duterte explained.
Duterte also reiterated that he killed six or seven people when he was Davao City mayor, noting that he roamed the city waiting for the chance to eradicate criminals.
Based on reports, Duterte’s drug war left at least 6,000 people dead.
However, data from human rights watchdog Karapatan showed that 30,000 EJKs were committed during the drug war.