(From left to right) Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr., Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, and Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez.

Co-chairmen of the House quad-committee (quad-comm) believe that the testimonial evidence gathered by the mega-panel so far are strong. 

Sharing this view on Tuesday, Oct. 15 were Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez, and Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. 

The special four-way panel is currently investigating the alleged interconnected issues of extrajudicial killings (EJKs), illegal Philippine Offshore and Gaming Operators (POGOs), and the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. 

“The evidence so far unearthed in the quad-comm belies Senators [Ronald] Bato [dela Rosa]’s and Bong Go’s denials of EJK involvement and existence of the reward system that was public knowledge during the previous administration, particularly in the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Fernandez said. 

Fernandez said at least two witnesses, a retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma and PNP Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, testified that a scheme of payouts to hitmen neutralizing or killing drug suspects existed. 

“Not only did it exist; it was managed by higher-ups, meaning by Malacañang (Duterte administration),” said Fernandez. 

Barbers, the lead chairman of the quad-comm, cited Espenido’s testimony that millions, perhaps billions, in rewards “flowed from the level of Sen. Bong Go, a close aide of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte". 

Quoting Espenido, Barbers said the reward system was funded by money from jueteng and other illegal gambling activities, intelligence funds, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office's (PCSO) small-town lottery (STL) operations, and POGOs. 

“Our impression is that the intelligence funds came from the Office of the President and the PNP (Philippine National Police). When these funds are audited, we will find out who is telling the truth,” said Barbers. 

Barbers said he would tend to believe witnesses Garma and Espenido. 

In the case of money from POGO, jueteng, and STL operators, Abante stressed that it was evident that “these funds indeed flowed from the top". 

Abante said that quad-comm testimonies had established that in 2016, a high-level meeting was held at the Department of Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) regional office in Davao City. 

“The Davao City EJK template and reward system was discussed during the meeting. A few weeks later, the assassination of drug suspects in police operations and by riding-in-tandem hired guns started," Abante said, citing quad-comm witnesses' claims. 

"It is not difficult to connect the dots,” he noted. 

Go had earlier denied any involvement in former president Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. "Bilang (As the) Special Assistant of the President noon, I have no participation whatsoever, directly or indirectly, in the operational requirements of the war on drugs," he said. 

"As stated in the Executive Order creating my position, my functions are limited to scheduling, appointments, and presidential engagements. My mandate does not include police operations. Kaya hindi ako nakikialam diyan (That's why I never involve myself there)," he noted. 

Go added that while he's an advocate of truth, he would not allow his name to be disrespected. "Malicious and unsubstantiated statements should have no place in any credible investigation," he said.