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Hse quad comm probes Duterte drug war, EJKs
By Nidz Godino
“For past 12 hearings, we have heard various testimonies of victims, their families, police, involved personalities who admitted their roles and participation, cause-oriented groups, and those whose lives have changed forever due to irreversible misstep they took that cost them their freedom,” quad comm, led by its lead chairman Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said House of Representatives was kept busy in 2024, dealing both with political drama and innovations in its legislative function, biggest move lower chamber made for the year was creation of quad committee, combination of House committees on dangerous drugs, public accounts, public order and safety and human rights.
Quad comm’s investigation focused on war on drugs of former president Rodrigo Duterte; extrajudicial killings (EJKs) of thousands suspected of involvement in illegal drugs; and Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs), used by Chinese nationals for criminal activities including cyberscams, human trafficking, kidnap-for-ransom, torture and money-laundering.
Aside from quad comm’s creation, another big step for House in 2024 was investigation initiated by committee on good government and public accountability chaired by Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua.
Chua’s committee focused its investigation into Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds of Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd), when she was still its secretary.
Quad comm, led by Barbers conducted its first joint public hearings on EJKs, POGOs and war on drugs on Aug. 16 at Villa Bacolor Convention Center in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Quad comm was authorized to conduct comprehensive joint investigation into possible connection between illegal POGOs, illegal drugs, EJKs and human rights violations in the course of former president Duterte’s bloody drug war.
Among resource persons first invited to quad comm’s first hearing were officials from Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Statistics Authority, Department of Foreign Affairs and Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Quad comm likewise invited former Bureau of Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban to shed light on his submitted affidavit.
It also invited as resource persons former president Duterte, Senators Ronald dela Rosa, supposedly the chief architect of drug war and Bong Go, right-hand man and personal assistant of the former president to shed light on the issue.
Only Duterte appeared before quad comm while Dela Rosa and Go consistently refused to attend hearings.
Retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma, believed to be personally close to Duterte, testified before quad comm and revealed that Duterte administration implemented “reward system” for killers of drug personalities.
Reward money allegedly ranged from P10,000 to P1 million, depending on level of importance of the person to be killed.
During his testimony before quad comm, Duterte denied reward and quota system, but admitted that he himself had killed around six to seven people during his war against criminal elements in Davao City while he was still its mayor.
During its 13th and last hearing for the year on Dec. 12, quad comm issued yearend summary of its findings that includes some of proposed measures resulted from its investigations.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales listed house bills that were crafted as result of hearings: HB 10986, or proposed law on Classifying EJK as Heinous Crime; HB 10987, proposed Anti-Offshore Gaming Operations Act; HB 10998, proposed Espionage Law of 2024; HB 11043, proposed Civil Forfeiture Act; and HB 11117, proposed Fraudulent Birth Certificate Cancellation Law.
Gonzales recalled calling for creation of quad comm when he delivered privilege speech on Aug. 5 following apparent links in investigations into P3.6 billion worth of shabu seized in Mexico, Pampanga; P1.3 billion worth of shabu discovered in Mabalacat City, Pampanga, and illegal activities linked to POGOs.
He vowed quad comm will continue its work in January with even greater focus and determination, “Today, we only end inquiry for the year; but we are already preparing for next year.”
Quad comm vice chair and Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop seconded Gonzales’ commitment.
Acop presented report titled “A Tale of Two Shipments,” featuring arrival in the country in 2017 of metal cylinders containing P6.4 billion worth of illegal drugs and shipment in the country in 2018 of magnetic lifters containing P3.4 billion worth of illegal drugs.
It showed two shipments both arrived at Manila International Container Port and allegedly involved some personalities.
During its meeting, quad comm cited in contempt former PDEA chief Wilkins Villanueva, would be implemented when session resumes on Jan. 13, 2025.
Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Paduano reminded Villanueva of his right to file motion to lift contempt order on him.
Also cited in contempt was police Col. Hector Grijaldo, who did not attend hearing despite quad comm’s repeated invitation.
Quad comm also lifted contempt orders issued on Cassandra Ong, who filed motion to lift contempt and detention orders on her as she is sick and cannot be detained at the Correctional Institution for Women, which doctors of CIW and House confirmed that she is not fit to attend and withstand congressional hearings; Alice Guo, now detained at the Pasig City Jail; Tony Yang, who is detained under custody of Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission, sick and currently confined at St. Luke’s Medical Hospital in Taguig; and police Maj. Leo Laraga, under custody of Quezon City Jail.
Barbers would be presenting before House plenary its initial report dubbed as “quad comm’s progress report” anytime this week.
One of the most striking incidents that left mark not only on congressmen, but also on the country and international community was when desperate Vice President Duterte invaded Batasang Pambansa complex by locking herself up at Room 304 of her brother Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.
Interestingly, the Vice President claimed she would stay in the room of her brother until her chief of staff at OVP, lawyer Zuleika Lopez, is given justice and released from detention at House detention facility.
Lopez was ordered detained for contempt by Chua’s committee after she repeatedly “lied and evaded to give direct answers” to members of the committee investigating real meaning of her letter to Commission on Audit asking it not to provide any documents pertaining to its use of P500-million OVP and P112.5-million DepEd confidential funds, respectively.
The Vice President has consistently refused to recognize and attend hearings of Chua’s committee.
What made matters worse was when the Vice President went on Zoom press conference with members of media covering OVP threatening to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos and Speaker Martin Romualdez while claiming that her own life was under threat.
Kill threat made by the Vice President is now subject of investigation by NBI.
Akbayan and the Makabayan party-list bloc in the chamber have filed separate impeachment complaints against Vice President based on pieces of evidence and testimonies from resource people, appeared in both investigation conducted by quad comm and Chua’s committee.
Chua explained ending probe would allow Armed Forces of the Philippines to conduct its investigation into allegations that two military officers received portions of confidential funds from Duterte’s offices.
ISKUP! 