House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The leaders of the House quad-committee (quad-comm) are standing by their convictions even as discussions in the joint panel hearings are expected to get more heated in the coming weeks. 

Reps. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte, 2nd district), Dan Fernandez (Santa Rosa City), Bienvenido “Benny” Abante (Manila City, 6th district), and Romeo Acop (Antipolo City, 2nd district) insisted that they are all after the truth following the implication of two Duterte family members in alleged big-time drug smuggling. 

“My position in the anti-drug campaign, in the past and in the present, is steadfast and consistent. I openly praise those anti-drug law enforcers who do their job well and assail those who commit abuses and wrongdoing in its implementation,” said Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers. 

Barbers was apparently alluding to statements made by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, an ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Dela Rosa slammed certain politicians for criticizing the Duterte drug war "for political gain”, despite supporting it when Duterte was still in power. 

Barbers, chairman of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs and the designated overall chairman of quad-comm, said that while he was among the first to commend all the major anti-drug accomplishments in the past, he also was the first to condemn irregularities such as the “ninja cops”; the summary killings of street level drug pushers and users; the 1,000-kilo stash in Tondo, Manila, and the 500-kilo shabu shipment in Pampanga, among others. 

“As public servants, our job is to abide with the Constitution and the rule of law. I never practice blind loyalty to anybody who dish out illegal orders in order to acquire personal gains, and maintain power and influence,” he said. 

Fernandez, chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, reiterated the quad-committee’s commitment to transparency and accountability. 

“We owe it to the Filipino people to pursue these investigations wherever they may lead. This is not about shifting allegiances; it’s about ensuring that justice is served. We will not be deterred by accusations or attempts to distract us from our mission. The truth must come out, no matter how deep we have to dig,” he said. 

As the chairman of the Committee on Human Rights, Abante stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law. 

“No one is above the law, including those who were once in positions of power. Our duty is to the truth and to the people, and we will not be swayed by political convenience. The law applies to everyone, and it is our responsibility to ensure that justice is delivered fairly and without bias,” he added. 

Acop, a vice chairman of the four panels that comprise the quad-comm, emphasized that the group's loyalty is to the Filipino people, and that they are guided by the pursuit of justice. 

“We are not here to protect or condemn any administration. We are here to ensure that the laws of this country are upheld, and that those who violate them are held accountable. There is no politics in the quad-committee’s work; our focus is solely on truth and justice. We stand firm in our duty, and nothing will deter us from fulfilling it,” stressed the former police brigadier general.  

The quad-comm has been at the forefront of investigating the complex and deeply entrenched criminal activities linked to (POGOs), illegal drugs, and the extrajudicial killings associated with the Duterte administration’s anti-drug drive 

Its investigation has so far revealed alleged connections to drugs among individuals close to former president Duterte, including his son, Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte; his son-in-law, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, husband of Vice President Sara Duterte; and his former economic adviser Michael Yang. 

Davao councilor 

Moving forward, a member of the quad-comm says he wants to dig deeper into the alleged involvement of Davao City 1st district Councilor Nilo “Small” Abellara Jr. to the reported massive illegal drug importation. 

In a statement, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, said he believes the testimony of ex-Bureau of Customs (BOC) intelligence officer Jimmy Guban, as he noted that Abellara was a business partner of the controversial Yang. 

“I know councilor Small Abellera is very close to the personalities mentioned. It is important to invite him in the next hearing,” Pimentel said. 

Guban was the one who during the Aug. 16 hearing linked Rep. Duterte, Carpio, and Yang to the illegal drug trade, specifically in the smuggling of P11 billion worth of "shabu" inside the magnetic lifters that were discovered at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) in 2018.

In his affidavit, Guban stated that Abellera introduced him to the smuggling operation in early 2017. Abellera described himself as the “business partner and trusted man” of Rep. Duterte, Carpio, and Yang, the witness added.

Guban narrated that in early 2018, he was introduced to Abellera by a certain Henry, a Chinese importer of various goods who was a known fixer at the BOC. Abellera allegedly requested him to “not be so strict with their shipments". 

Guban later clarified during Acop's interpellation that not being strict actually meant not looking into the shipments at all and turning a blind eye on the importations. 

Barbers said that in the next hearing, they are expecting more revelations that will complete the puzzle and will substantiate the witness' story.