Instead of the International Criminal Court (ICC) doing the probe, Philippine government agencies should investigate the allegations on the implementation of cash rewards during the illegal drugs operation of the past administration.
The allegations were aired by retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma during the hearings being conducted by the House of Representatives' Quad-Comm.
Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra on Monday, Oct. 14, said: "It would even be better if all pieces of evidence gathered from the congressional committee hearings are turned over to our own executive agencies for appropriate investigation and prosecution."
"The Quad-Comm, on its own, may turn it over to the DOJ/NBI (Department of Justice/National Bureau of Investigation) or to the OMB (Office of the Ombudsman) for case build-up or further investigation,” Guevarra said.
He reminded “these are the agencies that have the mandate to build on the findings of the congressional committees with respect to criminal matters.”
For its part, Guevarra said “the role of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) will come in much later.”
During the Quad-Comm hearings, Garma recounted that in 2016 former President Rodrigo R. Duterte met her in Davao City to discuss the nationwide implementation of the “Davao model” in the war against illegal drugs.
Garma, who is acquainted to Duterte after having served as a police station commander in Davao City, explained that Davao City model "involves three levels of payments or rewards.”
"First is the reward if the suspect is killed. Second is the funding of planned operations (or COPLANS). Third is the refund of operational expenses," she alleged.