DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 7 Nov) – Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte refused to attend the investigation on the controversial “war on drugs” of his administration on Thursday, stating that his presence before the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order & Safety, Human Rights and Public Accounts of the House of Representatives (Quad Comm) is “no longer necessary.”
Fromer President Rodrigo Duterte at the Senate hearing on on the war on illegal drugs. Photo from the Senate Facebook page / Senate Social Media Unit
In a letter dated Nov. 5 to Surigao del Norte’s 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers, who chairs the Committee on Dangerous Drugs, lawyer Martin B. Delgra III, Duterte’s counsel, explained the reasons why Duterte did not show up during the inquiry, in aid of legislation, of the Quad Comm.
Delgra said that the former President believes that the invitation for him to attend the inquiry to provide valuable insights and shed light on issues involving extra-judicial killings is a “mere political ploy,” casting doubt on the “integrity, independence, and probity” of the Quad Comm to conduct an investigation.
Delgra, whom Duterte appointed chairman of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), received the second invitation from Quad Comm on Nov. 2 to attend the probe scheduled for Nov. 7.
It can be recalled that Duterte first declined to attend the hearing last Oct. 22 as he was not feeling well and needed rest after attending several engagements in Metro Manila, but he vowed to attend the House inquiry on any date after Nov 1.
Duterte, however, appeared in the investigation conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s Subcommittee on the Philippine War on Illegal Drugs just a few days later, on Oct. 28.
The former President’s closest allies – Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go – were present during the Senate inquiry. Dela Rosa led the implementation of the war on drugs as the police chief of the Duterte administration while Go was Duterte’s longtime executive assistant and personal aide.
Delgra said that Duterte already “extensively discussed and shared his knowledge as to the alleged EJKs” during the nine-hour Senate inquiry and gave valuable inputs “on how to strengthen the war on illegal drugs, a demonizing element and national menace.”
Duterte suggested that the Quad Comm refer to the transcript of stenographic notes of the Senate inquiry for his testimonies “to save the government time and taxpayers’ money if he were to attend the public hearing before the Quad Comm.”
Duterte also expressed grave concern over how the Quad Comm “tried to persuade, if not unduly pressure, resource persons to admit matters under oath that they lack knowledge of or worse, unduly induce them to say something not true before the joint committee.”
Police Col. Hector Grijaldo testified during the Senate investigation that he was allegedly coerced by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Santa Rosa City Rep. Danilo “Dan” Fernandez to corroborate the affidavit of Royina Garma, a former general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, about the “reward system” of the Duterte administration’s illegal drug campaign.
“My client, a former city prosecutor, even offered an opinion that it was a case of subordination, an act of inducing someone to commit perjury. Said statement, if indeed true, casts doubt as to the Honorable House Quad Committee’s integrity and impartiality,” Delgra said.
Duterte also dared Abante and Fernandez to file criminal complaints before the Department of Justice if the lawmakers are convinced that he should be liable for the crime of “willful killing” under Section 6 of Republic Act. No. 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity, even alleging that the facts are clear.
Duterte’s counsel was not present during the inquiry but lawmakers believed that he should be invited to the next hearing to explain the contents of the former President’s letter.
Responding on Duterte’s position that his presence is no longer necessary as he gave comprehensive insights on anti-illegal drug campaign at the Senate, Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur’s 1st District said that he could not simply accept the testimonies, under oath, of the former President as he questioned the truthfulness of his statements.
“But unfortunately, my confusion, Mr. Chair, is that when his allies and spokesperson were asked about the truthfulness of his responses to the interpellation of one of the members of the Senate, he told the public it was merely a joke, that the truthfulness of the statement of the former President seems to be in question, which how can we take something which is a joke? It is difficult for me to simply take as it is, at face value, the transcript of the Senate when we do not even know which part of his statement is a joke and which part of his statement is real and true,” Adiong said.
He believed that Delgra should have attended the hearing rather than sending the Quad Comm a three-page letter.
Adiong asked why the former President could not give the House the same respect as he gave the Senate by attending its inquiry.
“What appeared to me and I cannot afford to understand, the House of Representative is part a bicameral chamber – Senate on one hand and House on the other – and the former President has displayed very active participation during the Senate investigation, and how come he cannot afford (to give) the respect that we have afforded to him?” Adiong said.
Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano was not pleased with Duterte’s absence during the inquiry after the Quad Comm sent him two invitations, the first one for the Oct. 22 inquiry.
“He [Duterte] has promised this committee that after Nov. 1, he will be present in today’s hearing. Ano to, naglolokahan tayo dito? (What’s this, are we fooling around here?) I will not discuss and argue with our colleague with regards the content of this second letter… kung hindi tayo naglolokohan dito, eh ano? Natatakot sya na pumunta dito? (if we’re not fooling around, then what? Is he afraid to come here),” he said.
Paduano insisted that the former President should still attend the next proceeding. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
