Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez (left), former president Rodrigo Duterte (Facebook, Malacañang photo)

It would be a "disrespect" to the House of Representatives' quad-committee (quad-comm) if former president Rodrigo Duterte attends the Senate's parallel investigation on his administration's bloody war on drugs. 

Thus, said quad-comm co-chairman Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez in a virtual interview with House reporters on Wednesday, Oct. 23. 

"Halimbawa, umattend sa Senate [hearing] tapos hindi siya umattend sa atin, ibang usapan na yan (For example, if he attends the Senate hearing but doesn't attend ours, that's a different conversation). So we will be reacting on that in an appropriate way," Fernandez said. 

The quad-comm had invited Duterte to participate as a resource person in the quad-comm's hearing Tuesday, Oct. 22. 

But the former chief executive begged off due to him "not feeling well", among reasons. He did express willingness to attend a future quad-comm hearing "preferably after Nov. 1". 

Over in the Senate, the Blue Ribbon Committee was written Duterte a letter inviting him to attend the first hearing on the controversial drug war on Monday. Oct. 28. 

"That's unfair. I mean it's not right anymore," Fernandez said on the possibility that Duterte will attend the Senate inquiry just days after no-showing the House probe. 

"Medyo sampal sa Kongreso yan (That's somewhat of a slap to Congress)," he added. 

"If the President will appear sa Senate, then sa aming (with our) invitation he will not, masyado naman atang choosy (I think he’s being somewhat choosy). So we have to also act accordingly. Kasi ano na yan, frontal na binabastos na ang Kongreso (That's like a blatant disrespect to the House)," noted the Laguna solon. 

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, a staunch ally of Duterte’s. earlier said that the ex-president might be more comfortable with going to the 23-member Senate than to the 300-member House. 

So, what will the quad-comm do if Duterte appears before the smaller chamber on Monday? 

"We will try to ask him and to explain why sa Senate lang, but sa Congress hindi. Bakit parang pag sa amin ayaw sa kanila pwede. Well karapatan ng Presidente yan but he needs to explain sa atin anong reason," Fernandez said.