LIVE: Third House quadcom hearing on POGOs, illegal drug trade crimes

MANILA, Philippines — The members of the House of Representatives resumed its joint inquiry into the connection of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) and the illegal drug trade on Wednesday.

The mega-panel, dubbed by lawmakers as the Quad Committee or "quadcom," is led by Committee on Dangerous Drugs chair Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte, 2nd District) with fellow members Committee on Public Accounts chair Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano, Committee on Public Order and Safety chair Dan Fernandez, and Committee on Human Rights chair Bienvenido Abante.

The third hearing follows Barbers' presiding over the quadcom's investigation into drug-related extrajudicial killings during the war on drugs launched under former President Rodrigo Duterte's term.

Two detainees, Fernando Magdadaro and Leopoldo Untalan Tan Jr., testified and claimed that Duterte allegedly ordered the killings of three Chinese drug lords inside the maximum security facility of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in August 2016.

The witnesses claimed that they were promised freedom and a cash reward of P1 million per head, totaling P3 million if they kill the three Chinese drug lords, namely Chu Kin Tung, alias Tony Lim; Li Lan Yan, alias Jackson Li; and Wong Meng Pin, alias Wang Ming Ping. 

This prompted the quadcom to invite Duterte to the public hearing.

Watch the continuation of the quadcom hearing LIVE which started at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.