Incoming Speaker rejects calls for inquiry

Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RICHARD A. REYES

Incoming Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Saturday said he had rejected calls for the House of Representatives to investigate the spate of drug killings involving policemen because lawmakers could be suspected of protecting drug lords.

“I don’t want any insinuation that the drug lords are using members of Congress to investigate the police so the [police] would go slow on their campaign against illegal drugs,” Alvarez said.

Ifugao Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. and Sen. Leila de Lima have filed separate resolutions seeking a legislative inquiry into the hundreds of deaths arising from the Philippine National Police’s campaign against illegal drugs, which has intensified since President Duterte assumed office on June 30.

Demoralizing to cops

Alvarez said suspicions would not only discredit members of the House but also undermine morale in the PNP after the President had assured policemen that he would back their aggressive tactics.

He said that even if a House probe proved that the drug killings were summary executions, he did not see any legislation coming out from the investigation.

“How can we declare summary executions when these are already illegal in the first place? If you establish criminal responsibility, Congress has no prosecutorial powers so we have to refer it to the DOJ (Department of Justice) and NBI (National Bureau of Investigation). So why not let them do their jobs first?” he said.

Alvarez quoted the late Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew: “In criminal law legislation, our priority is the security and well-being of law-abiding citizens rather than the rights of the criminal to be protected from incriminating evidence.” TVJ

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FULL TEXT: Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez at Meet Inquirer Multimedia