Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville Luistro (left), former president Rodrigo Duterte (Facebook)

Out of the members of the "Young Guns" bloc who grilled Rodrigo Duterte in the recent House quad-committee (quad-comm) hearing, it was Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro who squeezed out a "confession" from the former president.

Specifically, an "extrajudicial confession of guilt" in relation to Duterte's hand in his own bloody drug war.

And Luistro did it in her signature serene and surgical manner, never raising the tone of her voice and always flashing a smile after every question.

During her interpellation of Duterte in the 13-hour quad-comm hearing Wednesday, the lawyer-congresswoman first sought to confirm from the latter his earlier statement that he took full responsibility of what happened in his administration’s aggressive anti-narcotics campaign. 

After Duterte answered in the affirmative, he was then asked by Luistro: 'With all due respect, considering your statement of taking full legal responsibility both to legal and illegal activities, can I equate this statement of yours to am extrajudicial confession of guilt?"

"In a sense yes, wala na ko magawa eh (I can no longer do anything)," answered the former leader.

"Are you saying 'Yes,' Mr. President?" the Batangas solon asked Duterte, also a lawyer.

"Yes because I ordered the campaign against the drug syndicates. At kung anong ginawa nila, whether illegal or not, it was--ako ang nag-utos (And whatever they did, whether illegal or not, it was I who ordered it).

"In that sense, I take that responsibility of their actions. Wala akong magawa eh, commander ako, nag-utos ako. Pag may nangyari dyan, nagka-bulilyaso, whether right or wrong, iyo yan. Iyo talaga yan," explained the 79-year-old. 

(I can't do anything, I'm the commander, I made the order. If something awry happens, whether right or wrong, that's on you. That's really on you.)

When Luistro tried to make Duterte restate to the quad-comm his affirmation of extrajudicial confession of guilt, the latter seemed to distance his remarks from the word "guilt" and qualified his responsibility to cover the actions of law enforcers in general.

"Mr. President, earlier you conformed to my statement that I can equate your statement of taking full legal responsibility as an extrajudicial confession of guilt? I'm just reiterating the question Mr. President," Luistro said.

Duterte replied: "It's not about guilt or a wrong. What I'm saying is that yung lahat ng inutusan ko yung war against drugs, o yung isang platoon dyan o isang batalyon, kung ano yung ginagawa nila (What I'm saying is that everyone thaf I gave orders to in the war on drugs, whether its a platoon or a battalion, whatever they did), I take full responsibility for that.

Four lawyers 

Luistro then commented that Duterte took four lawyers with him to the hearing: Salvador Panelo, Salvador Medialdea, Martin Delgra III, and Silvestre Bello III--individuals who all served in the latter’s administration. 

But Duterte claimed that he didn't need them. "I can take care of myself," he declared. 

The Young Gun circled back to Duterte's extrajudicial confession, and asked the ex-president if he knew what he was basically agreeing to.

"You understand the elements of an extrajudicial confession?" Luistro asked, to which Duterte answered, "Yes".

"You confirm that you are of sound mind?" she asked, to which Duterte said, "Not only that, of [sound] body as well." He also said that he made his statement voluntarily. 

But when Luistro asked if Duterte understood the consequences of his extrajudicial confession, the former chief executive retorted, "Hindi naman ito korte (This is not an court)."

"I understand Mr. President, that's why we call it 'extra'-judicial confession," Luistro calmly replied. 

"It is not a confession," a visibly irked Duterte clarified. 

"It's a statement coming from the mouth of a mayor or a president at that time. It is not a confession. You are characterizing...mali ma'am (it's wrong, ma'am), Do not characterize that as a wrong. Policy yan (That was a policy statement)."

Put it in writing

Luistro then told Duterte the final requirement of an extrajudicial confession, which he was probably aware of since he also practiced law.

"The only one that is missing among these elements is that it should be in writing. Now my question will be, will you be willing to translate into writing the statement that you earlier said?"

Duterte's answer was evasive: "Hindi na nga ako marunong--yung pirma ko noon, hindi na nga pirma ngayon eh (I no longer know how to--my signature back then is not the same as my signature now)."

"But of course you have lawyers to help and assist you prepare this written document," Luistro quickly shot back.

The ex-president was dismissive at this point. "Hindi ko na kailangan yan, bakit ko pa writing? Dito na ngayon (I don't need that anymore, why do it in writing? We're here now). It's documented by the records here," he said, referring to the quad-comm.

"Magtanong lang kayo nang magtanong (Just keep asking questions)," said Duterte.