Quadcom revives anti-EJK bill ahead of 20th Congress

Leaders of the House Quad Committee (Quadcom) in the 19th Congress have refiled a bill that classifies extrajudicial killing (EJK) as a heinous crime.

Last year, the Anti-Extrajudicial Killing Act was first filed by Quadcom, highlighting that EJK poses a serious threat to democracy and human rights.

“Extrajudicial killing or the killing of individuals without judicial proceedings or legal authority poses a grave threat to the rule of law, democracy, and the protection of human rights,” the bill states.

Just weeks before the opening of the 20th Congress on July 28, Quadcom refiled the bill.

House Bill (HB) No. 1629 is authored by 11 lawmakers from various districts and party-list groups across the Philippines. These include Representatives David "Jay-jay" Suarez, Bienvenido Abante Jr., Romeo Acop, Zia Alonto Adiong, Paolo Ortega V, Ernesto Dionisio Jr., Rodge Gutierrez, Lordan Suan, Jay Khonghun, Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, and Jonathan Keith Flores.

Manila 6th District Representative and House Committee on Human Rights Chairman Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. affirmed that Quadcom will remain active in the upcoming Congress.

“Yes, definitely. Here are the Young Guns. Look,” Abante said, referring to the group’s youthful, reform-oriented members.

Abante emphasized that their mission continues, including their campaign against drug-related crimes.

"Regarding drugs, you've seen recently that our President stated over 8.7 kilograms of drugs were seized and no one was killed. This is what we want to highlight: Why do we still have a large drug problem today, despite the fact that during the former administration, so many people were killed?” he questioned.