Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla created a task force to give fair and equitable justice to alleged victims of extra-judicial killings (EJKs) committed by state forces during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “War on Drugs.”
“Spare no one, hold accountable every personality who had a hand in the senseless killing perpetrated by abusive persons in authority during the past admin’s anti-illegal drug campaign,” he said.
Remulla formally constituted the task force by virtue of Department Order (DO) 778, that will be chaired by a senior assistant state prosecutor and co-chaired by a regional prosecutor with nine members from the National Prosecution Service (NPS).
He said it is mandated to probe, conduct case build-up and file necessary charges, if warranted against the perpetrators as well as those involved in the EJKs during the previous administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign, according to him.
DO 778 also directs the task force to closely coordinate and assist the House of Representatives Quad Committee and Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in their respective investigations into the War on Drugs.
Likewise, a team from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), as may be required, shall be constituted to assist the Task Force.
The team shall be obliged to submit a report to the Secretary of Justice not later than 60 days from the issuance of department order.
