'It's time for healing': Quad-comm chairman Barbers reflects on Duterte’s arrest

Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (left), former president Rodrigo Duterte (PPAB, Malacan̈ang photo)

Rodrigo Duterte's arrest by the International Police (Interpol) should start the process of healing in the country, says the chairman of the special House joint committee that presented damning evidence against the former president in relation to his bloody war on drugs.

In particular, Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the ex-president's arrest can be seen as a potential catalyst for healing for families whose loved ones ended up as statistics of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the previous Duterte administration. 

“Panahon na upang maghilom ang ating bansa. Ang unang hakbang sa paghilom ay ang pagkilala sa mga pagkakamali ng nakaraan at ang pagbibigay ng hustisya sa mga biktima," Barbers, overall chairman of the quad-comm, said in a statement Tuesday, March 11.

(It's time for the country to heal. And the first step toward healing is to recognize the errors of the past and to give justice to the victims.)

The Interpol reportedly acted on an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which had been looking itong a charge of crimes against humanity against the 79-year-old Duterte.

The quad-comm has held 13 marathon hearings since August 2024, with Duterte himself serving as its highest profile witness. During a Nov. 13, 2024 hearing, Duterte declared that he took full responsibility of what transpired during his drug war. 

Another quad-comm witness, retired police colonel Royina Garma, had earlier linked Duterte to a reward system during the war on drugs. It was essentially an alleged slay-for-pay scheme that encouraged Philippine National Police (PNP) members to kill drug suspects in exchange for cash rewards reaching up to P1 million per target.

Critics of the Duterte-led drug war have claimed that an estimated 30,000 were killed during this campaign. 

Pointing to Duterte's arrest, Barbers said: “Ito ay patunay na sa ating bansa, sa Bagong Pilipinas, na walang sinuman ang nasa ibabaw ng batas. Ang pag-aresto kay dating Pangulong Duterte ay isang hakbang tungo sa katarungan para sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay dahil sa EJKs.”

(This proves that in our country, under Bagong Pilipinas, nobody is above the law. President Duterte's arrest is a step toward achieving justice for the families who lost loved ones because of EJKs.)

“Ang pag-aresto na ito ay hindi lamang tungkol sa isang tao (This arrest is not just about one person),” Barbers noted.

“Ito ay tungkol sa pagbabalik ng tiwala ng publiko sa ating sistema ng hustisya at sa pagtiyak na ang mga pang-aabuso, sa pangkasalukuyan man o nuong sa nakaraan ay hindi na mauulit,” he said.

(This is about bringing back people's trust in the justice system and to ensure that acts of abuse, whether committed now or in the past would never happen again.)

READ THIS:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/18/house-quad-comm-recommends-filing-of-charges-vs-duterte-dela-rosa-go

Not a political move 

Meanwhile, Senior Deputy Speaker Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. and Deputy Majority Leader La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V--two active participants in the quad-comm hearings--similarly welcome the development regarding Duterte. 

“The arrest of former President Duterte is a decisive step toward justice. This proves that the international community will not tolerate crimes against humanity, and those responsible for extrajudicial killings must answer for their actions,” said Gonzales, whose House resolution resulted to the creation of the quad-comm. 

Gonzales said the former president and his allies should stop claiming that the arrest was political. 

“The ICC operates based on evidence, not politics. This is not about partisanship—this is about justice, accountability, and upholding human rights. The Filipino people and the world demand answers, and Duterte must face the consequences of his actions,” he stressed.

“This is a clear message that no leader can escape justice forever. The rule of law must prevail, and the Philippine government should respect international accountability mechanisms instead of protecting those accused of grave human rights violations,” he added.

Ortega, for his part, called on the Duterte camp to stop making excuses and instead prepare to face the charges against him. 

“Instead of playing the victim, former President Duterte should answer for his actions. The families of the victims deserve justice, and this is just the beginning,” Ortega said.

“Justice has no expiration date. The thousands of lives lost in the bloody war on drugs deserve to be remembered, and the arrest of the former President is a testament that impunity will never be permanent,” he futher said.