Former president Rodrigo Duterte (Keith Bacongco/ MANILA BULLETIN)

If former president Rodrigo Duterte indeed makes an appearance at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Nov. 13, he shall expect to go face-to-face with the relatives of alleged extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims during his administration’s bloody war on drugs.

This was according to members of the Makabayan bloc, who nonetheless stressed that Duterte’s planned visit to Batasang Pambansa was a mere “publicity stunt”.

“Malinaw po na wala siyang schedule dito. Wala pong naka-schedule na hearing, ang naka-schedule lamang ay isang makabuluhang misa para sa mga biktima ng war on drugs,” Gabriela Women’s Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said in an impromptu press conference on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

(It's clear that he doesn't have a schedule here. There is no hearing scheduled, the only one scheduled is a meaningful mass for the victims of the war on drugs.)

“Gusto pang talbugan ni Duterte itong magaganap na misa. Talagang agaw eksena sa araw na dapat sana’y marinig ang boses ng mga biktima ng war on drugs,” added Brosas.

(Duterte wants to upstage the mass. He is trying to overshadow them on a day when the voices of the victims of the war on drugs should have been heard.)

According to Brosas, the mass is scheduled for 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Earlier, former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said Duterte and him will travel to Batasan at 10 a.m. Wednesday to “confront” members of the House quad-committee (quad-comm).

According to Panelo, the former leader is keen on questioning members of the panel on why they cancelled the scheduled hearing on Wednesday “without prior notice”.

The quad-comm’s overall chairman Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers clarified in a press briefing Tuesday that his panel never received a letter from Duterte’s camp before the hearing was cancelled.

Barbers said the hearing was rescheduled to Nov. 21 as the committee was still vetting the authenticity of witnesses to be presented in the quad-comm hearings.

The quad-comm is currently investigating the alleged links between EJKs, illegal drugs, and Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) during Duterte’s term.

If Panelo’s announcement is realized on Wednesday, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said the former president should take this opportunity to address the concerns of the kin of EJK victims.

“Hinahamon natin siya kung ready siya by tomorrow…sagutin niya ang mga tanong ng kamag-anak ng EJK [victims],” said Castro.

(We are challenging him if he is ready by tomorrow...he should answer the questions of the relatives of EJK victims.)

Brosas, an assistant minority leader, said the relatives of EJK victims were eager to face the former president.

“Iyan ang matagal nilang [hinihintay] ‘yung magkaroon talaga ng hustisya at humarap sa kanila ‘yung may pinaka-accountability ng ginawa,” she said.

(That's what they've waited a long time for, for justice to come and for the person who has the most accountability to face them.)

Human rights organizations estimate that as many as 30,000 people died during the previous administration’s anti-drug campaign.