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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Senate ready to accord ex-President Duterte respect, dignity in drug war probe

Senate ready to accord ex-President Duterte respect, dignity in drug war probe

Published Oct 27, 2024 06:47 am

Senators are prepared to accord former President Rodrigo Duterte due courtesy and respect when he attends the Senate’s own investigation into the controversial anti-illegal drug campaign of his administration.

 

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa assured that the former president will attend the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee hearing on the Duterte administration’s so-called war on drugs which is scheduled on Monday, October 28. 

 

The names of Duterte, Dela Rosa, and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go were all mentioned in the House Quad Committee’s continuing investigation into the drug war and extrajudicial killings as the chief implementers in the brutal anti-illegal drug campaign.

 

Prior to this, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero guaranteed that the former leader will be accorded with respect befitting his stature should he decide to attend the Senate’s investigation into his administration’s drug war campaign.

 

“Any resource person, whether former president or ordinary Filipino, deserves to be treated with respect, respect and full recognition of his human rights under our Constitution," Escudero had said in a press briefing last week.

 

Escudero said there is nothing unusual with the appearance of a former president in such kind of Senate proceedings, noting that the late former President Benigno Aquino III also attended the Upper Chamber’s hearing into the alleged anomalies in the procurement of anti-dengue vaccines in 2017. 

 

“Of course, being a former president, I expect the members of the Senate to give him due respect, not only as a person, not only as a Filipino, but as a former president of our country,” Escudero said.

 

Dela Rosa, for his part, said he is ready to share the truth about the Duterte administration’s war against illegal drugs saying he need not prepare for it since “the truth is here.”

 

“I know the truth that’s why they will not be able to make up a story with whatever allegations they are saying. We need to know the truth,” said the senator who was the chief implementer of Duterte’s “Oplan Tokhang” when he was then the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.

 

“I will not be extra careful as far as the truth is concerned. I don’t care who would be hurt by my words, as long as all I'm after here is the truth, the truth will come out,” Dela Rosa said. 

 

Go welcomed the Senate’s own probe into the war on drugs, saying it is important for the public to know the whole truth about the previous government’s anti-drug operations. 

 

“Gusto natin na malaman ng taumbayan ang buong katotohanan. Kapag lumabas na ang totoo, mas makakafocus tayo sa pagseserbisyo. Lalo na ngayon na madaming nasalanta, naghihihirap at nangangailangan ng tulong (We want the people to know the whole truth. Once the truth comes out, we can focus more on servicing. Especially now that there are many victims, suffering and in need of help)," said Go in an interview.

 

De Lima, Duterte to face off at Senate probe

 

Former Senator Leila De Lima, one of the staunchest critics of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, is said to also appear as a resource person before the Senate blue ribbon panel’s motu proprio inquiry. 

 

De Lima, former justice secretary and human rights chief will share her investigation’s findings and speak about the accountability of former president Duterte under Philippine law and international treaties over his controversial drug war.

 

The former senator earlier participated in the House Quad Comm hearing where she provided the history of the so-called “Duterte Death Squad”—the alleged vigilante group that started in Davao City and mobilized by the ex-president. 

 

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who will lead the Senate subcommittee probe, said the Senate hearing will push through “with or without Duterte’s presence.”

 

Pimentel said his panel has invited more than 30 individuals to be resource persons in the hearing. 

 

“If he shows up, he (Duterte) can be a witness, if he doesn’t come, the hearing will still go on),” he said.

 

“Our hearing will not be held hostage by one person’s presence,” he said. 

 

 

Related Tags

Duterte administration Chiz Escudero Senate blue ribbon committee koko pimentel drug war probe Bato dela Rosa
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