Former president Rodrigo Duterte (Keith Bacongco/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The House quad-committee (quad-comm) has received word from the counsel of former president Rodrigo Duterte that he won't be attending the mega-panel's scheduled hearing Tuesday, Oct. 22. 

The counsel, lawyer Martin Delgra III, wrote a letter to the office of Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the overall chairman of the quad-comm, to send Duterte’s to regrets. 

Manila Bulletin obtained a copy of the two-page letter early evening Monday, Oct. 21. 

"On Sunday, 20 October 2024, that my client received the letter dated 18 October 2024 inviting him to attend the public hearing to be conducted by the Joint Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order & Safety, Human Rights and Public Accounts on 22 October 2024 at 9:30 in the morning to provide insights and shed light on some issues under discussion particularly on the previous administration campaign on illegal drugs," read Delgra's letter. 

"Unfortunately, despite his keen intention to attend, my client respectfully manifests that he cannot attend the public hearing set on 22 October 2024. Aside from the short notice given him, my client just arrived in Davao from Metro Manila last 17 October 2024," it read. 

"Considering his advanced age and the several engagements he had to attend, he is currently not feeling well and is in need of much rest," read the letter. 

Duterte is 79 years old. He holds the distinction of being the oldest elected Philippine president back in 2016.

After Nov. 1?

 
Through the letter, Delgra says that Duterte "respectfully request to defer his appearance before the Honorable Committee scheduled tomorrow (Tuesday)". 

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To Duterte’s credit, he gave Barbers an idea of when he would be ready to attend the proceedings. 

"Rest assured of my client's wilingness to appear before the House of Representatives on some other available date, preferably after 01 November 2024," Delgra wrote. 

The House of Representatives is currently on a six-week recess, but this hasn't stopped the quad-comm from holding hearings. Sessions will resume on Monday, Nov. 4.