THE House Committee on Human Rights yesterday invited former President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to the attend its next hearing on the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) linked to the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“We have informed the former president of this hearing so he knows,” said Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, panel chair. “For the fourth hearing, I will be inviting Sen. Bato dela Rosa and the former president to come and listen to your (relatives of victims) testimony.”
Abante earlier said it will be up to Duterte and Dela Rosa if they will attend the hearing because the panel cannot force their attendance out of courtesy to a former president and a fellow legislator who used to head the previous administration’s anti-drug campaign as PNP chief.
“As much as I would want to give courtesy to the former president and the Sen. Bato dela Rosa, because of the gravity of the testimony of these victims, they should face these people and hear their complaints,” Abante said. “What I am saying is, perhaps, the former president would look into his own heart and realize what he has done in the past six years.”
The panel’s moved to invite the former president and Dela Rosa was in relation to the motion of Rep. Arlene Brosas (PL, Gabriela), which was prompted by the statements of National Union of People’s Lawyers-National Capital Region Secretary General Kristina Conti and Rubilyn Litao of Rise Up for Life and for Rights that the former president was responsible for the killings.
“Naniniwala kami na dahil sa polisiya ng war on drugs o Tokhang ng dating Pangulong Duterte kaya po naganap itong maraming pagpaslang (We believe that these numerous killings happened because of the drug on war policy or the ‘(Oplan) Tokhang,’ of former president Duterte),” Litao said.
Conti and Litao have been assisting hundreds of families of victims of summary executions, some of whom were present during the hearing to share their harrowing experiences. Abante then addressed his colleagues, proposing the formal invitation.
“I would even suggest that later on we should invite the former president. Kayo po ba handa kayong humarap sa former president pag inimbitahan natin? (Are you ready to face him if we invite him)” he asked the witnesses who affirmed their readiness.
Government data shows that over 6,200 drug suspects died in anti-narcotics operations from June 2016 to November 2021, but human rights organizations estimate the death toll could be more than 20,000, affecting predominantly poor communities.
In the previous hearing, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, a member of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), told the panel that 20,322 drug suspects or almost 40 daily were killed between July 1, 2016 and Nov. 27, 2017, the first 17 months of the Duterte administration based on a 2017 year-end accomplishment report of the Office of the President, which the Supreme Court noted in the 2018 case “Amora vs Dela Rosa” (former PNP chief and now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa).
