The Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee, under the leadership of Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel, is preparing to resume hearings on the controversial war on drugs initiated during the Duterte administration.
Pimentel announced that the subcommittee could not conduct hearings in 2024 due to its lack of authority to cite individuals in contempt.
However, recent amendments to Senate rules have empowered the subcommittee to exercise this authority, allowing for a more robust investigation.
The hearings are scheduled to take place in January 2025, with Pimentel emphasizing a thorough examination of allegations regarding cash rewards for police officers involved in extrajudicial killings of drug suspects.
This inquiry follows accusations from the House Quad Committee, which has implicated former President Duterte and several senators in incentivizing violence against drug offenders.
Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Bong Go have also expressed their intent to conduct parallel investigations, citing the need to address what they describe as baseless accusations against them.
Dela Rosa plans to invite Duterte as a resource person in his own inquiry, while Go has filed a resolution for a Senate investigation into the drug war’s implications.
