President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will carefully evaluate the Quadcom oversight committee’s recommendation to file charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte and others.
“Yes. Well, the DOJ has to make that assessment,” Mr. Marcos said in response to questions about the recommendation.
“The Quadcom has a recommendation—that’s really how the process works. When they conduct an oversight hearing, they have findings, and they forward those to the DOJ with their own recommendations on how to handle the findings from the hearings,” he added.
He further explained that the process is now in the hands of the DOJ, which will determine how to proceed based on the evidence and the recommendations provided.
The president noted that the evaluation process is still in its early stages and emphasized the importance of thorough assessment.
On Wednesday, the House Quad Committee recommended filing crimes against humanity charges against former President Duterte, Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go, and others over alleged extrajudicial killings during the drug war.
The recommendation, adopted by the House on Wednesday, follows 13 hearings into EJKs, illegal drugs, and offshore gaming operators. Quadcom Chair Robert Ace Barbers said Duterte admitted to the existence of the Davao Death Squad and a reward system for police tied to campaign funds.
The panel also proposed bills to classify EJKs as heinous crimes, ban POGOs, and strengthen anti-money laundering laws.
A DOJ official meanwhile said recommendations to file crimes against humanity charges against Duterte will undergo prompt and rigorous scrutiny by prosecutors, and assured that no unsubstantiated harassment suits will be lodged.
Speaking to reporters, DOJ Undersecretary Hermogenes Andres said that prosecutors will be independently evaluating all the documentary evidence that will be sent to it by the House of Representatives Quad Committee (quadcom).
Andres said the DOJ has already established a task force on extrajudicial killings, and has started to collect evidence.
“If the evidence warrants, we will proceed with the filing of cases through the National Prosecution Service. But we assure everyone kami po ay nakakasiguro na hindi po kami magpapa-file ng (we assure that we will not file a) harassment case. But when the evidence warrants, ‘pag meron po tayong sapat na ebidensya (if we have sufficient evidence), we will hold people accountable,” Andres said.
He noted that under the latest DOJ rules, the NPS will lead the case build-up in coordination with law enforcement agencies, along with the task force on EJKs.
The House Quadcom on Wednesday recommended the filing of crimes against humanity charges against Duterte and others.
The charges would be pursued under Section 6 of Republic Act 9851, known as the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity.
The other officials named include former Philippine National Police (PNP) chiefs Oscar David Albayalde and Debold Sinas, P/Colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo, as well as Palace aide Herminia “Muking” Espino.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Marcos: DOJ to assess Quad Comm crimes against humanity case vs Duterte, others”
