'Not your turf:' Dela Rosa criticizes House drug war probe

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald dela Rosa on Thursday criticized the House of Representatives' ongoing committee inquiry into the drug war of former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that the resolution that spawned the investigation does not clearly state that it is in aid of legislation.

Dela Rosa took a swipe at the ongoing investigation of the House human rights committee while at the same time mentioning it as proof of the many working government mechanisms that drug war victims can supposedly avail for redress, according to his interview with ANC's Headstart.

The senator said that the Philippine government should not cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) because "it's not just the criminal justice system that is working, but the legislature is also working towards that end." 

But at the same time, Dela Rosa said: "Dapat hindi na 'yan kanilang turf, 'yung pag-iimbestiga, dahil ang ginagawa nila ngayon is no longer in aid of legislation, kundi para mapanagutin kuno ang mga pulis na involved diyan sa war on drugs."

(They should no longer investigate because what they are doing now is no longer in aid of legislation but to hold the police involved in the war on drugs accountable.)

The senator added: "Okay. There is no clear statement in their resolution about in aid of legislation. Walang problem (No problem). So everything is working."
 
Drug war victims' families have repeatedly called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to cooperate with the ICC as years of police inaction and authorities' reluctance to cooperate have pushed them to the "court of last resort."

The House human rights panel has so far conducted four hearings into Duterte's so-called war on drugs, where victims rehashed grim details of how extrajudicial killings were carried out and their difficulty attaining justice through domestic mechanisms.

Even as human rights groups estimate that 30,000 died during anti-illegal drugs operations, including vigilante killings, only four cases have resulted in a conviction to this date. 

In the last case that led to a guilty verdict for accused police officers, the National Union of People's Lawyers pointed out that the prosecutor involved had even testified in favor of the cops. 

The lawyers' group also said they had acted as private prosecutors for the family of the victim and "built up and prosecuted these cases without any material government assistance."

Rep. Bienvenido Abante (Manila, 6th District) said that he had recently changed his mind about not inviting Duterte and Dela Rosa to the probe after hearing victims' testimonies.

Dela Rosa, however, said that he would only attend the committee hearing if the former president does the same.

Lawmakers have previously refused to comment on proceedings in another chamber out of inter-parliamentary courtesy, which is a time-honored tradition in Congress where the House and the Senate do not meddle in each other's affairs.