Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa (left) and former President Rodrigo Duterte (Facebook)

Following the revelation of an alleged drug war reward system, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro has renewed her call for former president Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to attend the ongoing House quad-committee (quad-comm) inquiry on extrajudicial killings (EJK).

The congresswoman asserted that Duterte and Dela Rosa should respond to the claims posited by retired police colonel Royina Garma.

During the recent quad-comm hearing, Garma revealed that the Duterte administration supposedly adopted the “Davao model” in its nationwide anti-drug campaign.

She said this involved payment and rewards for policemen in exchange of killing those included on the list of drug personalities.

“Nakikita natin dito ‘yung link na nagpapatunay na malaki ang ginagampanan ng rewards sa pagpapatupad ng extrajudicial killings,” said Castro.

(We see here the link that proves that rewards play a big role in the implementation of extrajudicial killings.)

Castro, a deputy minority leader, underscored that victims of EJK during the bloody war on drugs were primarily the poor and marginalized communities.

She noted that drug-related killings under the Duterte administration were estimated to be as high as 30,000.

“Ang panawagan natin, imbestigahan ng quad-comm si Duterte, ‘yung papel nito sa pagpapatupad ng EJK doon sa kaniyang madugong war on drugs,” said Castro. 

(Our call is for the quad-comm to investigate Duterte, his role in the implementation of the EJK in his bloody war on drugs.)

The teacher solon also said quad-comm’s findings, testimonies, and all necessary documents should be submitted before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

As of this posting, the Philippines under the Marcos administration has yet to rejoin the ICC following the country's withdrawal from the Rome statute in 2019 under Duterte.