House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez
INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday said he has no problem if the House of Representatives would investigate the spate of summary killings in the administration’s war on drugs, including the controversial case of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos.
Alvarez made the statement in a press briefing following calls from his colleagues to investigate the killing spree of drug suspects, including the Grade 11 student Kian who was shot by police for allegedly fighting them.
Kian’s parents had already met with President Rodrigo Duterte, who promised justice to the family.
READ: Duterte assures Kian’s parents: Only due process will prevail
A CCTV video surfaced showing that the police in plain clothes had Kian in custody before he was killed. Witnesses also said cops gave Kian a gun before he ran and was shot.
Four cops had been charged with murder and torture over Kian’s killing.
READ: 4 cops charged with Kian’s killing
Alvarez said he has no problem if the lower House would look into the alleged police abuses, following calls from his colleagues not to be silent in the midst of the killings.
READ: Why can’t the House prioritize probe into drug killings? – opposition solons
“Wala namang problema sa akin kung mayroong magfile at gusto imbestigahan. E di imbestigahan natin (I have no problem if they file a rresolution for an investigation. We will investigate it),” Alvarez said.
Alvarez pointed out though that even though the lower House would not conduct its own probe, the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Justice (DOJ), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Senate are conducting investigations into Kian’s killing.
READ: Caloocan police info that Kian was drug runner based on social media
“Although alam naman nating lahat na iniimbestigahan na ‘yan ng Senado, DOJ, NBI, PNP. Ang dami nang ahensiya ng gobyerno na nag-iimbestiga diyan (Although we know that it is already being investigated by the Senate, the DOJ, the NBI and the PNP),” Alvarez said.
“Kung gusto ng ating mga congressman na mag-imbestiga pa rin, hindi naman ako tututol (If congressmen want to still investigate, I won’t oppose them),” he added.
The Makabayan bloc earlier filed a resolution urging the House human rights committee to look into Kian’s killing, which became the face of police abuses in the administration’s intensified narcotics crackdown. IDL
READ: Makabayan solons seek House probe into Kian’s killing