Former President Rodrigo Duterte will not be facing the House Quad Committee probe on the drug war killings during his administration on Thursday.
Earlier, Duterte’s camp claimed that the former president would attend after November 1. In a letter to the QuadComm on Tuesday, Martin Delgra III, counsel for Duterte, said his client doubts the competence of the panel to conduct the probe.
“Regrettably, upon consultation with him, my client respectfully manifests that while he respects and recognizes the authority of the Honorable Committees to conduct inquiries, in aid of legislation, he cannot attend the public hearing as scheduled for the following reasons. First, with all due respect, my client is already doubtful as to the Honorable House Quad Committee’s integrity, independence, and probity to conduct the legislative inquiry in aid of legislation,” Delgra, quoted by GMA News, said.
“While my client’s attendance is supposedly for him to provide valuable insights and to shed light on issues under discussion particularly on extra-judicial killings, it is apparent that the inquiry is a mere political ploy aimed to indict him for crime or crimes he did not commit,” he added.
House Assistant Majority Leader Pammy Zamora of Taguig City stated on Wednesday that former president Duterte can shed light and clarify his side by attending the upcoming Quad Comm hearing.
Zamora added that Duterte’s attendance would “reinforce respect for the rule of law by advocating that everyone, regardless of former titles, should be willing to answer for their actions.”
The mega panel, chaired by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, had anticipated Duterte’s appearance as a resource person in the previous hearing on October 22. However, Duterte declined due to stated health reasons.
Yet, just six days later, on October 28, a seemingly energetic Duterte attended the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation of a similar nature, even stating he was prepared to answer senators’ questions until the following morning.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla meanwhile has ordered the creation of a task force made up of prosecutors and National Bureau of Investigation agents to investigate extrajudicial killings in the war on drugs of former president Duterte, GMA News Online reported.
According to Memorandum Order No. 778, a copy of which GMA News Online obtained, the task force will be under the Office of the Secretary and will investigate, assist in the conduct of case build-up, and if warranted, file the appropriate criminal charges in court against the perpetrators and all those involved in extrajudicial killings during the previous administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
The task is also in line with the ongoing probe by the House of Representatives Quad Committee and the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, the report said.
According to the report, Remulla directed the task force to closely coordinate with the House of Representatives Quad Committee, Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Philippine National Police (PNP), Witness Protection Program (WPP), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and relevant government agencies to ensure the efficient gathering and sharing of information, as well as the facilitation of operational support necessary, including to effectively secure and interview witnesses, for a comprehensive investigation and case build-up.”
