Legarda urges DOJ probe on drug deaths, ‘EJKs’

Senator Loren Legarda admitted on Wednesday that she is also bothered by the reported continued killings in the country, prompting her to call on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct an “impartial, transparent” investigation of all deaths whether drug-related or perceived extrajudicial killings (EJKs).

Legarda during the confirmation hearing of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II at the Commission on Appointments’ (CA) committee on justice and judicial and bar council, said she agreed with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that the reported deaths must be investigated.

Trillanes, who was opposing Aguirre’s confirmation, pointed out that there are already 8,000 reported deaths but the DOJ has not investigated a single case.

He said the DOJ’s inaction on the killings was consistent with Aguirre’s statement that criminals are not part of humanity.

“I agree with you Senator Trillanes that the deaths must be investigated. I am equally, if not more bothered, by it and so that’s the reason why I want the Secretary of Justice and I will ask him, for all the hard work we’re doing here, to please give an impartial, transparent investigation of all these deaths whether drug-related or perceived or alleged to be extrajudiclal (killings),” Legarda said.

“You owe it to the Filipino people, and we, who have passed him or will pass him in the Commission on Appointments, if we will, owe it to the people.”

“So I feel for you Senator Trillanes. I understand where you’re coming from and I share your concern for those deaths which are unexplained,” Legarda added.

Despite Trillanes’ opposition, the panel endorsed Aguirre’s confirmation for plenary approval. The CA later unanimously approved the Secretary’s appointment.

READ: CA panel recommends confirmation of Aguirre’s appointment

Interviewed after his confirmation, Aguirre said the DOJ had no power to investigate crimes but he is proposing for the creation of a task force that would conduct such probe.

“Dapat doon merong police agency na nag-i-investigate and file it with us. Hindi pwede yung mga piskal namin pupunta sa field para mag-investigate noong crime,” he said.

(For that, there should be a police agency that would investigate on it and file it with us. Our prosecutors cannot be the ones to investigate in the field.)

Aguirre said his proposal to create a task force would have to be discussed yet in the Cabinet as it also needs the “imprimatur” of President Rodrigo Duterte. CDG

READ: DOJ stops NBI probe of illegal drug cases