Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr (PPAB)

Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. said the evidence and testimonies that have been heard so far in the ongoing investigation of the quad-committee (quad-comm) gives the conclusion that the alleged “quota system” linked to the killing of drug suspects, as well as its supposed funding source, was legitimate.

Abante, one of the co-chairs of the quad-comm, said their inquiry has exposed an “intricate and expansive network of smuggling and trafficking” in connection with illegal drugs, Philippine offshore gambling operators (POGOs), and illegal gambling activities.

"These POGO and gambling activities are evils by themselves, but what is disturbing is that the funds from these illegal enterprises were channeled to fund incentives intended to reward law enforcement for eliminating their targets––even if this resulted in the wanton and widespread violation of human rights,” he said.

All such activities “flourished during the Duterte presidency”, he said.

During the most recent quad-comm hearing, witness Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido revealed that the Duterte administration and the Philippine National Police (PNP), under then police chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa established a “quota system” for cops.

Allegedly, a daily quota was set to “neutralize” 50 to 200 targets during the that administration's war on drugs.

When asked by panel members what the term "neutralize" meant, Espenido said this was understood by police to mean the “killing” of suspects.

Espenido, once considered as the Duterte drug war’s “poster boy”, said the reward system gave implementers P20,000 for each “kill".

He further claimed that these incentives were funded by money from illegal drugs, POGOs, jueteng, and other illegal gambling activities.

Espenido also alleged that the funds were funneled through Duterte's chief aide and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.

While some drug lords were killed, the police official said that most of the victims were “low-level” drug pushers and users.

According to human rights organizations, Duterte’s war on drugs may have caused the death of as many as 30,000 Filipinos.

With all these developments, Abante stressed that the personalities mentioned——namely Duterte, Dela Rosa, and Go——should attend the upcoming quad-comm hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 4 to air their side on the allegations.

“The quad-comm has given every opportunity for them to address the testimony given by our resource persons, and I believe they owe it to the Filipino people to explain the conduct of the war on drugs from their perspective,” the veteran lawmaker said.