‘Duterte likely to skip quad comm hearing’

MANILA, Philippines — Former president Rodrigo Duterte is likely to skip the hearing of the quad committee of the House of Representatives tomorrow, Assistant Majority Leader and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V said yesterday.

Ortega, a member of the House’s so-called Young Guns, noted that Duterte’s legal team might recommend to the former president to “play it safe” and not attend the quad comm hearing, as testifying under oath could potentially expose not only the latter’s legal vulnerabilities, but also those of his close allies.

This recommendation could stem from concerns about the controversial reward system that allegedly incentivized “drug kills” in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, according to Ortega.

“I believe his legal team might pursue a ‘play it safe’ strategy of ‘less talk, fewer mistakes,’ and they can best achieve this by advising Duterte not to attend the quad comm hearing. They’ll only dig themselves deeper if the former president speaks,” Ortega said.

The quad comm, which is composed of the House committees on dangerous drugs, public order and safety, human rights and public accounts and is investigating alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs), illegal drugs, alleged abuses of power, illegal Philippine offshore gaming operations or POGOs and human rights violations tied to the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, has set its next hearing tomorrow.

Former police colonel and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma has testified before the quad comm that cash incentives were allegedly often provided to personnel who eliminated suspected drug offenders.

Garma alleged that this reward structure mirrored practices linked to the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS), a vigilante group allegedly responsible for numerous EJKs in Davao City during Duterte’s term as mayor and reported to have employed similar tactics.

Further testimonies have indicated that these rewards were not merely a local phenomenon, but a widespread policy allegedly promoted by the Duterte administration.

Ortega noted that Garma’s revelations shed a disturbing light on the inner workings of the drug war.

Honor your commitment

Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, one of the Young Guns leaders, yesterday asked Duterte to honor his commitment that he would attend tomorrow’s quad comm hearing.

“Elected leaders should have the courage to practice the virtue of having a word of honor,” Adiong said.

“Filipinos know the former president as someone with palabra de honor. Throughout his political career, especially during his decades as mayor of Davao City, he built a reputation as a man of his word. This integrity is largely why people repeatedly placed their trust in him,” he added.

Duterte’s attendance will also resonate with their supporters, according to Adiong.

Meanwhile, House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun yesterday challenged Duterte to face the quad comm tomorrow.

Khonghun, another Young Guns leader, said the real culprit in the alleged EJKs as a result of the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs will be “indicted.”

“There should be truth above power, whose holders only come and go. As elected officials in charge of making laws, ferreting out the whole truth has been part of our mandate. It is our priority, and we will make sure that real culprits are indicted, powerful or not,” Khonghun added.