MANILA, Philippines — The Quad Committee of the House of Representatives, composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts continued its joint inquiry into the extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration's drug war on Thursday, November 7. This is the tenth hearing.
The mega-panel, 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, are also probing the connection of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and the illegal drug trade.
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Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-jay” Suarez and Committee on Transportation chair Romeo Acop are also joining the inquiry.
During the ninth hearing last October 22, Sen. Leila de Lima testified, corroborating previous findings that the Duterte administration's war on drugs was patterned after the Davao Death Squad.
Aside from De Lima, former NAPOLCOM chief Edilberto Leonardo also validated previous findings of the Quad Comm. He confirmed that there was a rewards system during the previous administration’s drug war, validating former PCSO general manager Royina Garma’s earlier testimony about the Davao model.
Garma earlier said the "Davao model," ordered to be implemented nationwide by former president Rodrigo Duterte, involves a three-tier payment that incentivizes cops for their operations.
Meanwhile, Jail officers Roger Rezaga and Julito Retana, who were on duty at the time of Albuerra, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.’s death inside the Baybay City Provincial Jail in an alleged shootout with Criminal Investigation and Detection Group personnel, also testified before the mega panel.
The Quad Comm also questioned Capt. Kenneth Paul Albotra who, according to Garma, knows about the assassination of the late Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili.
The mega panel also presented former Los Baños Councilor Norvin Tamisin who claimed he was wrongfully accused in the killing of Los Baños Mayor Caesar Perez.
The hearing was also attended by Mariel Marinay, sister of Kerwin Espinosa and daughter of Rolando. Kerwin earlier claimed former Philippine National Police chief and now Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa asked him to implicate former Sen. Leila de Lima, Peter Lim and other personalities in the illegal drugs operations or else he will end up as his father's fate.
The hearing of the House Quad Comm's probe comes a week after former president Duterte testified before the Senate's separate hearing on alleged extrajudicial killings during his administration. Duterte admitted to the existence of death squad.
The former president who earlier skipped the Quad Comm's inquiry will once again be absent in today's hearing.
Watch the hearing live on Nov. 7, 2024.