Filing of charges vs. Duterte needs to be carefully assessed: PBBM

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

Quadcom chair, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, said Duterte, during a Nov. 13 hearing, admitted key elements of his administration’s drug war, including the existence of the so-called Davao Death Squad and the Davao template of reward system for police officers involved in EJKs. (File Photo: Senate of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The recommendation to file crimes against humanity charges against former president Rodrigo Duterte, in connection with the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) associated with the past administration’s drug war, must be carefully assessed, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Thursday.

This was after the House of Representatives Quad Committee (quadcom), in its 43-page progress report, recommended the filing of crimes against humanity charges against Duterte, along with Senators Christopher Lawrence Go and Ronald Dela Rosa, as well as other police officials for their supposed role in the bloody anti-narcotics campaign.

Sought for reaction, Marcos said the Department of Justice (DOJ) would be the one to assess the quadcom’s recommendation.

“Yes, I am aware of that. Well, the DOJ has to make that assessment. So, may recommendation ang quadcom. Ganoon naman talaga ang proseso (the quadcom has a recommendation and that’s really part of the process),” he said.

“When they do an oversight hearing, meron silang findings, ifo-forward nila ngayon sa DOJ (they have findings, which they will forward to the DOJ). They are all recommendations as to how to handle the findings in the hearings. So, they will go now to DOJ, the DOJ will look at it and see if there’s time to file cases and what cases to file, how to produce the evidence that will lead to actually build the case up.”

The President said a thorough review of the recommendation is necessary to determine whether it is appropriate to file charges.

“So, titingnan pa iyan, marami pa iyang kailangang i-assess ng mabuti kung ano ‘yung maaaring maging kaso, kung tama ba ‘yung direksyon ng recommendation ng committees ng House (We’ll look into that. There are still a lot that need to be carefully assessed as to what the case could be, whether the direction of the House committees’ recommendations is correct),” he said.

The charges will be pursued under Section 6 of Republic Act 9851, known as the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity.

Also named in the quadcom report were former Philippine National Police chiefs Oscar David Albayalde and Debold Sinas, Colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo, as well as Palace aide Herminia “Muking” Espino.

Quadcom chair, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, said Duterte, during a Nov. 13 hearing, admitted key elements of his administration’s drug war, including the existence of the so-called Davao Death Squad and the Davao template of reward system for police officers involved in EJKs.

Barbers added that Duterte assumed “full legal responsibility” for the deadly war against illegal drugs.