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Now 79 years old, former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte endured almost eight hours of grilling before the Senate public hearing on alleged summary killings during his administration’s all-out war against illegal drugs. To the reported extrajudicial killings (EJKs) related to the bloody anti-drug war, FPRRD got his wish granted to be tried here in the Philippines, albeit before the court of public opinion through televised hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee on drug war-related EJKs.

Fondly referred to now by loyal allies as FPRRD, the erstwhile Davao City mayor did not disappoint the expectation of his usual firebrand public speaking. Although currently aided by a cane, FPRRD entered the proverbial lion’s den where known political foes were already seated, waiting for him to enter and join them at the Senate hearing last Monday.

Already seated at the Senate hearing to his left were ex-senator Leila de Lima and Free Legal Aid Group lawyer Chel Diokno. The Senate Blue Ribbon secretariat made the seating arrangement where De Lima was just a seat away from FPRRD. In between them was his former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief, retired Gen. Aaron Aquino.

FPRRD was not without his own allies, who accompanied him at the Senate. His former chief presidential counsel Salvador Panelo, ex-Anti-Graft and Corruption Commission head Greco Belgica were seated beside him. He also had his own Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go and Robinhood Padilla setting the tone of the public hearing with their respective opening statements.

Except for Padilla, Dela Rosa and Go were also implicated in the drug war-EJK cases of the House quad committee, which started last August its own legislative inquiry on the same cases.

Flying all the way from his retirement house in Davao City, FPRRD attended the specially created sub-committee of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee. With designated chairman Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, the Senate sub-committee was tasked to conduct the inquiry in aid of legislation on the alleged drug war-related EJKs during the Duterte administration.

At one point of his testimony, FPRRD apologized for having to chew a mint candy to ease his throat, which he complained was getting sore already for too much talking.

In fact, FPRRD told the senators he is ready to stay on until the Senate hearing on their EJK probe wraps up, even until the next morning. “Tapusin natin today, even if until tomorrow morning. We should not leave this room until you get what you wanted to get out of me… Until we finish all these things,” FPRRD insisted.

He practically begged the senators: “Let’s finish this story in the Philippines. Wag na tayong magdrama dito.”

It might have been a Freudian slip of FPRRD. By saying this, he was obviously adverting to the “crimes against humanity” that was lodged against him before the International Criminal Court (ICC). While our country had withdrawn from The Hague-based judicial body, the petitioners of this case against FPRRD argued this is still a live case, contrary to the government’s position that the ICC has lost its jurisdiction in the legal cases here in the Philippines.

Early on his administration, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) declared in a policy statement he will sustain his predecessor’s Philippine government decision to quit the ICC. PBBM echoed the arguments that the Philippine justice system is working and thus, there is no need for the ICC to intervene in the drug war-related EJK cases.

If we know any better, FPRRD felt victorious coming out again on the national scene.

A veteran trial court prosecutor, he weaved in and out of being cornered in a tight spot. He was pressed on whether he will accept the burden for the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos, among the first reported victims of the “Tokhang” drug war initiated by Dela Rosa when he was the first head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under Mr. Duterte.

“Guilt is personal and it cannot be transferred,” FPRRD lectured Senator Hontiveros. He called out Hontiveros for “trying to pin” him into “semantics” of the law.

Running again to become mayor of Davao City, FPRRD practically also announced he will not stop his official crusade against illegal drug syndicates and other criminals that prey upon Filipino families. He even made a pitch at the same Senate hearing: “Kung pabalikin ako, gagawin ko uli yan doblado,” FPRRD vowed. This elicited applause from the Senate gallery, prompting Pimentel to warn the audience against creating noise while there is an ongoing Senate hearing.

At the outset, FPRRD admitted – among other things – he really wanted to attend the Senate public hearing to ventilate fully his side on the renewed EJK accusations against him. “This is the forum that God gave me the opportunity to talk,” FPRRD quipped. In fact, we did not see any signs of him getting tired. At times, he looked bored when cameras panned in his direction while other resource persons were speaking.

In his usual expletive-laden language, FPRD minced no words in reiterating his much avowed policy declaration while he was still in office at Malacañang Palace: “I and I alone take full, legal, moral responsibility.” For the entire Senate hearing, FPRRD kept quoting himself on his stern warning against policemen and criminals as well who get involved in illegal drugs with: “Pu- - - ina nyo, lets- kayo.”

Hontiveros had to caution FPRRD about the use of foul language. Although he got into a heated exchange with her, FPRRD apologized for his usual uncouth words. “Di ako matapang. Takot din akong mamatay. But I have my way,” FPRRD explained.

After the Senate, FPRRD is readying his next appearance in the quad comm public hearing. He previously begged off from the quad comm hearing set last Oct. 22, citing he needed “rest” after his previous trip to Metro Manila. Through his lawyer Martin Delgra III, FPRRD committed to attend the next quad comm hearing in November. “Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.”