The quad-committee in the House of Representatives has welcomed the cooperation of Police Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. — who had earlier defied a congressional summons — in their investigation into the so-called extrajudicial killings (EJK) during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte where at least 7,000 people were killed.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, chairperson of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said Friday they were looking forward to Caramat’s participation along with other top officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP), especially those who were implicated in Duterte’s drug war.
“Well, we’re expecting top PNP officials to come to the hearing. Criminal syndicates and organizations launder and clean their money through the legal [POGO] businesses that they establish in the country,” Barbers said.
“There’s also the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) personnel, PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) officials, and some PNP generals, including General Caramat,” he added.
Caramat is reportedly among the police officers whom Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa — the so-called architect of Duterte’s drug war — claimed is being pressured by National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Ricardo de Leon and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV to execute an affidavit implicating him and the former president in the drug war.
De la Rosa, the first PNP chief under Duterte, made the allegation on Wednesday, saying that De Leon and Trillanes were running the “operation” with the assistance of Speaker Martin Romualdez and Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations.
De Leon, however, insisted there was no truth to De la Rosa’s claim, saying that Caramat volunteered to divulge his knowledge of EJKs, “including the list of names targeted for killing, the weekly quotas, and the payment process involved in exchange for the top PNP post.”
Exchange deal?
Caramat reportedly offered to tell “everything he knew” about the previous administration’s anti-drug campaign in exchange for being appointed to the top post at the PNP, according to De Leon.
Barbers was not receptive to the offer allegedly put forward by Caramat and warned that the lawmakers will not tolerate it.
“So many people are sending feelers that they want to testify before the quad-comm. We welcome all those who want to tell the truth. It’s their choice to testify or give information in an open hearing, or in an executive session if it has national security implications,” Barbers said.
“But there is nothing in exchange [for testifying]. We will not tolerate this, those [demanding] something in return. Let’s do it for the people, not for anyone,” the lawmaker added.
The quad-comm was formed earlier this week to rigorously investigate the correlated issues of EJKs, illicit drugs, and criminal POGO activities.
Barber’s panel along with the Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., Committee on Public Order and Safety, headed by Santa Rosa Rep. Dan Fernandez, and the Committee on Public Accounts, led by Abang Lingkod Rep. Stephen Caraps Paduano comprise the quad-comm.
Nothing personal
Barbers categorically denied there was anything personal behind the multi-panel probe of Duterte and De la Rosa.
“All we want is the truth behind these syndicates. Who are these syndicates? Who supports them? Who is the protector? Who is the coddler of these syndicates who allowed these illegal activities to spread in our country? There is no politics being discussed here,” he said.
“This matter of the investigation into EJKs, well, there is a lot of information that our senator can help with because during his time as PNP chief, it appears that there were many people who [were victims of] EJKs. We would appreciate any information. In fact, we can use his wisdom, his experience in writing laws, to avoid such things,” Barbers said.
Duterte and Dela Rosa had been invited to the hearing to shed light on the issue but they said the congressional hearing was not the proper forum.