The Department of Justice (DOJ) task force that will investigate reported extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during anti-illegal drugs operations will cover not only the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

“Lahat ng extrajudicial killings are covered (All EJKs are covered),” said DOJ Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez during an interview on Teleradyo.

“Hindi naman s’ya partikular na naka-focus doon sa Duterte administration. Basta ‘yung war on drugs in general (It’s not particularly focused on the Duterte administration. It’s the drugs war in general),” Vasquez said.

He explained that murder and homicide cases have a prescriptive period of 20 years which means that complaints must be filed within that period.

“So technically you can go back 20 years from now sa lahat ng kasong nakabimbin d’yan (of all the pending cases),” said Vasquez who noted that the investigation will include cold cases that have remained unresolved.

With the investigation being conducted by the task force, Vasquez said “’yung mga cold cases na ‘yan para mabigyan ng buhay ulit at kung may mahanap na matibay na ebidensya ‘yaan ay mag-umpisa para maprosecute, magfile ng kaso at panagutin ‘yung mga offenders at kung sino man involved sa mga EJKs (the cold cases will be resurrected and, if strong evidence have been found, the prosecution will start to hold accountable the offenders and those involved in the EJKs).”

DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla issued Department Order (DO) 778 dated Nov. 4 that created the task force to investigate the EJKs during the past administration’s drug war.

Remulla issued the DO in response to the revelations during the hearings conducted by the House of Representatives quad committee that has been looking into the EJKs committed during Duterte’s drug war.

"Spare no one, hold accountable every personality who had a hand in the senseless killings perpetrated by abusive persons in authority during the past administration's anti-illegal drug campaign," declared Remulla in a previous statement.

The DOJ earlier noted that the task force has been instructed “to submit a report to the Secretary of Justice not later than 60 days from the issuance of DO 778.”