A House leader urged former President Rodrigo Duterte to make good on his word to face the Quad Committee even as another lawmaker expressed doubts about whether he would attend a hearing scheduled on Thursday.
“Elected leaders should have the courage to practice the virtue of having a word of honor,” House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur said Tuesday.
The Mindanao solon is banking on Duterte’s recent appearance before a Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee.
Adiong emphasized the importance of Duterte’s presence at Thursday’s hearing, noting that it would provide House members the opportunity to gain definitive answers that only the former president can provide.
He added that Duterte’s attendance would also resonate with his supporters.
“It would demonstrate that he’s not afraid of accountability, just as he showed in the Senate probe, where he took responsibility and advocated for the victims of extrajudicial killings during his administration, shielding his police officers from potential criminal or administrative charges,” Adiong explained.
Previously, Duterte’s counsel, Martin Delgra, assured the Quad Comm of Duterte’s intention to attend.
Delgra, who was chair of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board under Duterte, confirmed this commitment in a letter to lead panel chairman Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, stating that his client would appear after the All Saints’ Day holiday.
“Rest assured of my client’s willingness to appear before the House on some other available date, preferably after Nov. 1,” the lawyer promised after Duterte declined to attend the October 22 hearing.
However, House Assistant Majority Leader Paolo Ortega of La Union said despite assurances that he would attend, Duterte’s lawyers are likely to recommend that their client skip the upcoming Quad Comm hearing altogether
He said that the former President’s candid testimonies could potentially expose not only his own legal vulnerabilities but also those of his close allies, Senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go, who played significant roles in the controversial anti-drug campaign
“If both Sen. Dela Rosa and Sen. Go were involved, then responsibility does not lie solely with Duterte but with those who stood by him in this campaign,” Ortega pointed out.
In his recent Senate appearance, Duterte acknowledged the existence of the so-called “Davao Death Squad,” a vigilante group allegedly responsible for numerous extrajudicial killings in Davao City during his tenure as mayor.
“I believe his legal team might pursue a play-it-safe strategy of less talk, fewer mistakes, and they can best achieve this by advising Duterte not to attend the Quad Comm hearing. They’ll only dig themselves deeper if the former president speaks,” Ortega explained.
