Duterte, Bato won’t attend House drug war probe

MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Ronald dela Rosa will not attend any hearing of the House committee on human rights meant for them to shed light on alleged extrajudicial killings during the previous administration’s war against illegal drugs.

Lawmakers are asking Duterte and Dela Rosa, who was then Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, to answer issues involving extrajudicial killings.

Duterte pointed out the House panel is not the proper forum for him to discuss any issue, particularly about the alleged extrajudicial killings.

The former president added that the matter should be brought before the courts, as that is the proper forum for such matters.

At a committee hearing last Tuesday, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas moved to invite the two personalities central to the past administration’s drug war.

Duterte is believed to be responsible for the killings that paved the way for resource persons to support alleged human rights victims, like National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) secretary general Kristina Conti, who said they believe Duterte should be held accountable.

It was Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who chairs the House committee on human rights, who asked Conti and the group Rise Up for Life and for Rights regarding Duterte’s possible accountability.

For his part, Dela Rosa said he also would not attend the House probe upon the advice of Senate President Francis Escudero, in order to observe inter-parliamentary courtesy.

Dela Rosa said he sought Escudero’s guidance following the recent developments in the lower house, although he clarified that he has not received an official invitation yet from the House committee on human rights.

“I sought the advice of the Senate President on what to do. I don’t have any problem; I can face them anytime. But still, I have to follow the guidance of the Senate President, being a member of the institution, the Senate of the Philippines. I have to follow his guidance,” Dela Rosa said in a recent radio interview.

The House committee on human rights has summoned Duterte and Dela Rosa to attend its probe into the alleged crimes against humanity during the previous administration’s highly controversial war on drugs.

The invitation was anchored on the motion of Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas so that Duterte and Dela Rosa could directly answer the grievances of the relatives of those who were killed in the bloody drug war.

Dela Rosa was Duterte’s first Philippine National Police chief and is considered the chief architect of the bloody war on drugs, in which about 7,000 people were killed, based on the government’s data.

The senator clarified that he had to seek the guidance of the Senate leadership to avoid any regret in the future. He noted that seeking the advice of the Senate president is only following the long-time tradition in the upper house.

“His answer was, ‘No, you don’t have to attend’ because there are discussions in the Senate that every time a senator’s name pops up in their hearing, we will break it up, the inter-parliamentary courtesy. What can the senator do? There are only 24 of us, so just attend their hearing, but the Senate can’t do anything in its legislative function,” Dela Rosa said, referring to Escudero, when he sought the latter’s guidance.

The senator justified that every time a senator makes an official act, the Senate leadership knows it so that in the end, the members don’t regret making their own decisions in their official capacity that the Senate leadership does not know.

In the same interview, Dela Rosa dared those who are arguing that he and Duterte should be held accountable for their roles in the campaign against illegal drugs to file appropriate cases in Philippine courts.

“If she has the goods, then, by all means you have to file the case against us. She can file the case if she wants. We are ready to face any court here in the Philippines,” he said. - Bella Cariaso, Delon Porcallaa