From left to right: Former president Rodrigo Duterte, Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Christopher "Bong" Go (Malacañang photo, Facebook)

With the next House quad-committee (quad-comm) hearing fast approaching, Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez and Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. insisted on Sunday, Sept. 1 the need for the three most prominent implicated personalities to surface and take part in the inquiry.  

The two quad-comm co-chairmen were referring to former president Rodrigo Duterte and his close allies Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Christopher "Bong" Go. 

The special four-way panel has been investigating the interconnected issues of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), illegal drug syndicates, money laundering, and extrajudicial killings that have been traced to the previous Duterte administration. 

“It has come to public attention that serious allegations have been made against former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senators Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa in the Quad Comm probe, and given the gravity of these accusations, we hope they attend the hearings to address these claims directly,” Fernandez said. 

Abante says that Duterte, Go, and Dela Rosa should take the opportunity to speak because it is essential not only for their own reputations but also for the Filipino people “who deserve the truth about the alleged involvement of top officials in illicit activities". 

The next hearing is scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 3. 

In the Aug. 22 hearing of the quad-comm, inmates Leopoldo Tan Jr. and Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro claimed that Duterte was involved in the killings of three Chinese drug lords who were detained at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in Davao del Norte in August 2016. 

Then, during the last hearing of the joint panel last Aug., 28, Police Colonel Jovie Espenido alleged that a reward system was in place for kills during the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war. He claimed that the funding came from llegal activities, including contributions from POGO operations, implicating Go and Dela Rosa in the process. 

“Espenido, a key figure in the drug war, has implicated Senator Bong Go in this scheme, claiming that funds were funneled downwards from his level. Similarly, Senator Bato, who led the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the early years of the drug war, has been accused of instructing police officers to neutralize drug suspects, which has been interpreted as an order to kill," Fernandez said. 

"May naging issue rin si Col. Espenido na may prinotektahan si Senator Bato na kailangang maliwanagan,” added the Laguna solon. 

(Senator Bato also needs to clarify Col. Espenido's claim that he has protected people.) 

“Given these severe allegations, we hope former president Duterte, Go, and Dela Rosa will appear before the quad-committee. Their attendance would provide them a crucial platform to defend themselves and clarify their roles in the previous administration's anti-drug policies,” said Fernandez, who added that the hearing so far have painted a damning picture of the Duterte administration's anti-anti-drug drive. 

“The testimonies heard so far have led to disturbing revelations, suggesting that the Philippines may have operated as a ‘narco-state’ during Duterte's presidency, with high-ranking officials involved in the drug trade,” Abante said. 

“These claims, if left unchallenged, could undermine public confidence in the integrity of the country's leadership and its institutions. Therefore, allowing Duterte, Go, and Dela Rosa to address these accusations is critical in maintaining transparency and accountability in governance,” the Manila solon added.