Opposition solon slams House inaction over drug death issues

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat / Photo courtesy of Liberal Party

An opposition lawmaker on Saturday criticized the utter silence of the House of Representatives in connection with the spate of drug-related killings, including that of the death of Grade 11 student, over the past few days.

“Nakakabahala ang katahimikan ng Mababang Kapulungan. Maghain tayo ng resolusyon sa pagimbestiga ng modus operandi ng Oplan Galugad (The silence of the House of Representatives is bothering. We must file a resolution to investigate the modus operandi of Oplan Galugad),” Ifugao Rep. Teodoro “Teddy” Baguilat Jr. said in a statement.

At least 80 people have been killed in Metro Manila and Bulacan in simultaneous anti-drug police operations over the past week. One of the victims, 17-year-old Kian Loyd Delos Santos, was seen on a CCTV footage being manhandled by alleged Caloocan City policemen shortly before he was found dead.

The incident has drawn condemnation from various sectors, including senators and congressmen, who have urged the government to end its brutal war on drugs.

READ: Senators express alarm over high number of drug deaths

Baguilat, a Liberal Party member, said that even though the House leadership has sat on several resolutions seeking to probe extra-judicial killings (EJKs), lawmakers should continue to push for investigations to hold the authorities accountable.

“Bagamat hindi pinapansin ang ating mga naunang resolution sa calling for inquiry on EJKs, kinakailangan puwersahin pa rin natin ang House na magpaimbestiga para maipahiwatig sa kapulisan at sa administrasyon na pangsamantalang itigil muna itong Tokhang ops at panagutan ang mga nagkasalang mga autoridad,” Baguilat said.

(While our previous resolutions, calling for an inquiry into EJKs, have not yet been attended to, we still need to force the House to investigate and ask the police and the administration to temporarily suspend anti-illegal drug operations and hold authorities accountable for their wrongdoings.)

Resolutions calling for investigations have been filed at the lower chamber as early as August last year.

Makabayan Bloc’s House Resolution No. 259, filed on August 22, 2016, has since been pending at the Committee on Rules and has yet to be scheduled for hearing. It has called for the investigation into “mounting complaints” of “alleged drug-related extrajudicial and vigilante killings.” JPV