Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop (Facebook)

Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop castigated Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo for claiming that the House quad-committee’s (quad-comm) investigation was established to supposedly destroy former president Rodrigo Duterte and his allies.

In a statement on Sunday, Dec. 15, Acop stressed that the panel’s ongoing inquiry was grounded on evidence and not by personal or political motives.

“We’re just doing our job. This is not about destroying anyone or any group. It’s about uncovering the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be,” Acop, the senior vice chairman of the quad-comm, said.

“If Sen. Dela Rosa feels the findings are inaccurate, he should present evidence to counter them rather than resorting to baseless claims of political intent,” he added.

During the quad-comm hearing last Thursday, Acop presented a summary of the panel’s findings after marathon 13 hearings. The hearings started last August.

According to him, Duterte’s bloody war on drugs campaign served as a cover for a “grand criminal enterprise” where the former president and his inner circle enabled and profited from the illegal drug trade they had publicly vowed to eliminate.

He noted that testimonies from key personalities, such as former police colonel Eduardo Acierto, explicitly named Duterte and Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Dela Rosa as “key figures in protecting the illegal drugs network in the Philippines.”

In an interview, Dela Rosa objected to the claim that he was a figure in the drug network. After all, the senator was the a key implementer of the war on drugs as the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He challenged Acop to meet him before a church altar to determine who was telling the truth, declaring, “How dare you, Mr. Acop?”

In Sunday's statement, Acop insisted on his claim: “How dare I? I dare because this is my responsibility—to uncover the truth and ensure accountability.”

“These findings are not speculation or personal opinion. If Sen. Dela Rosa has contrary evidence, let him present it. Otherwise, his accusations are baseless,” the veteran lawmaker said.

Acop emphasized that the congressional investigation is “not about personalities”, noting that it’s about uncovering the truth and seeking justice for the victims of the brutal anti-drug campaign.

Not about 2028

Panelo, who also served as Duterte’s presidential spokesperson, accused the quad-comm of being “all political”.

Aside from “destroying” the former president, he claimed that the hearings were also designed to “destroy” Vice President Sara Duterte’s chances in the 2028 presidential race.

Acop, for his part, asserted that the mega-panel’s investigation is rooted in pursuing accountability.

“It is not about political maneuvering or targeting anyone for 2028, as he claims,” he added. 

With this, the congressman questioned Panelo’s credibility and authority to speak on the quad-comm’s findings on behalf of former president Duterte.

“Minion ka ng dating Presidente. Bakit hindi ang dating Presidente mismo ang magpaliwanag?” asked Acop.

(You are a minion of the former President. Why doesn't the former President explain it himself?)

He, however, pointed out that Duterte’s own statements often incriminated him, such as the case of his sole appearance before the quad-comm last Nov. 13.

“Former President Duterte himself said things that aligned with the evidence we uncovered, particularly on extrajudicial killings,” Acop explained.

Panelo also claimed that the testimonies and findings of the quad-comm “are either coerced testimonies or based on hearsay, or both”.

In response, Acop said witnesses such as Acierto and others came forward before the panel to share what they know about the conduct of the war on drugs.

“If anything, these testimonies are being scrutinized because they were ignored during Duterte’s time,” he said.

“Now, the guilty parties are feeling the pressure and are trying to deflect,” he continued.