EJK probe: House summons Duterte, Dela Rosa

The House Committee on Human Rights has summoned former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to its probe on Wednesday on alleged crimes against humanity during the previous administration’s contentious war on drugs.

The invitation came in response to the motion filed by Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas aimed at allowing Duterte and Dela Rosa to directly address the grievances of the families of those who lost their lives in the drug war.

Dela Rosa was the principal architect of Duterte’s aggressive anti-drug campaign, during which approximately 7,000 individuals were reportedly killed, according to government figures.

Local and international human rights organizations, however, estimated that the death toll exceeded 30,000, affecting predominantly low-income families and communities.

The panel had earlier refrained from inviting Duterte and Dela Rosa to the hearings out of parliamentary courtesy. Wednesday’s hearing will be its fourth on the matter.

Panel chairperson, Manila Rep. Buenvenido Abante, asserted that it was high time Duterte “realizes what he had done in the past six years.”

“As much as I want to give due courtesy to the former president and Senator Dela Rosa, because of the gravity of the statements made here they should face these people and hear their complaints,” Abante said.

The ongoing investigation of the International Criminal Court explicitly named Duterte and Dela Rosa as subjects of its investigation.

National Union of People’s Lawyers-National Capital Region Secretary General Kristina Conti and Rubilyn Litao from Rise Up for Life and for Rights maintained that Duterte and Dela Rosa were legally culpable for the mass killings.

“We believe that because of the war on drugs or tokhang policy of former President Duterte, many killings occurred,” Litao said in Filipino.

Conti and Litao have been assisting hundreds of families of victims of extrajudicial killings, some of whom were present at the hearings to share their harrowing experiences.

The panel has committed to safeguarding the witnesses’ rights and safety in future deliberations.