Rights groups on Thursday welcomed the House of Representatives Quad Committee’s recommendation to file crimes against humanity complaints against former president Rodrigo Duterte and his allies for their alleged role in the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in his administration’s drug war.
In a joint press statement, the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) and Rise Up for Life and for Rights said the House affirmed that Duterte is “criminally responsible” for the thousands of EJKs nationwide and in Davao.
“Crimes against humanity is the proper charge against Duterte, the person most responsible for thousands of killings, dubious arrests and detention on drugs and other criminal charges, torture, drug-tagging, and other rights violations,” the statement read.
Aside from Duterte, the rights groups said they agreed with the Quad Comm’s findings regarding the liability of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chiefs Oscar Albayalde and Debold Sinas, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, Go’s aide Irmina “Muking” Espino, former Cebu police chief Royina Garma, and former NAPOLCOM Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo.
“We challenge the Department of Justice (DOJ) to give due course to the recommendations and methodically work on the evidence unearthed during the quad comm hearings, and on all other records held in disparate agencies of government. The recommendations from the legislators are only as good and acceptable as the results in the courts will be,” the statement read.
The groups said they would support charges in Philippine courts against direct perpetrators, including all operatives, their immediate superiors, and co-conspirators.
“In the same way that the killings were far-reaching and morally corrupting, the remedy at this time should also be exhaustive, pervasive, and dignifying. We will continue to seek restorative, fair, and lasting justice wherever we may find it,” the statement concluded.
