The House quad committee has offered to cover the expenses, including airfare and accommodation of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his entourage just to personally attend its probe into the so-called extrajudicial killings (EJK) of his bloody drug war on Wednesday.
Panel chairperson Ace Barbers along with his co-chairs and other House leaders would “chip in” to remove any financial barriers Duterte cited as grounds for skipping the panel’s hearing on 7 November.
“If finances are truly an issue, we’re ready to cover his travel and accommodations ourselves. This is about the people’s right to know the truth about alleged abuses in his administration’s anti-drug operations,” Barbers said.
Duterte for the nth time was a no-show at the quad comm last week despite a previous assurance that he would address the allegations this month.
In a letter submitted to the panel, Duterte’s legal counsel explained that the former president’s “presence is no longer necessary,” citing that he already attended a parallel Senate investigation on EJK in late October.
Moreover, Delgra said Duterte also doubts the committee’s intentions, calling it a “ploy aimed to indict him for crimes he did not commit.”
Barbers has repeatedly thumbed down suggestions to subpoena Duterte to compel him to face the probe out of courtesy to his former position. But his co-chairs have been headstrong to invite Duterte in the subsequent hearings.
In a recent interview, Duterte attributed his absence to financial limitations.
“I will kick them. They’re sons of a bitch. Are they going to pay for my fare? I don't have money. I would pay for my fare? I don't have extra money in the bank. All of it is just my salary and retirement pay. Now, they are the ones who are upset?” an outspoken Duterte said in Filipino.
Quad comm co-chair Dan Fernandez they are willing to personally shell out the necessary amount to finance Duterte’s fare and accommodation to ensure that there will be “no [more] excuses.”
Another quad comm co-chair Bienvenido Abante Jr. expressed willingness to the proposal.
“We’re offering to remove every obstacle. We’re even willing to ‘chip in’ if it means he can no longer avoid the inquiry. The victims’ families deserve the truth,” he stressed.
“If covering his expenses is what’s needed to get to the bottom of this, so be it,” panel vice chairperson Romeo Acop chimed in.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. and Deputy Speaker David Suarez said they are also keen to use their personal funds to support Duterte’s travel and accommodations because he is “crucial” to the ongoing probe.
Duterte, who admitted under oath that he was the sole responsible for the massive killings of his notorious war on drugs, faces intense scrutiny for reported human rights abuses, including the deaths of thousands, many from the poorest communities.
Duterte also explicitly said that he encouraged police to provoke drug suspects to fight back as a pretext to kill them.
Some lawmakers suspect that Duterte is merely evading the investigation by citing numerous alibis.
“With all due respect Mr. FPRRD, don’t make any more excuses in not attending our hearings… Be here at the quad comm hearing, and go ahead, kick us if that will make you happy. I’m very sure your supporters nationwide will also be watching on national TV or YouTube, ready to give you the loudest applause you want to hear,” Assistant Majority Leader Jefferson Khonghun said.
Assistant Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V, on the other hand, said that while they will accord Dutertte “all the reasonable amount of respect,” they will never allow him to “bully” congressmen in their own bailiwick.
“Don’t make empty threats. Please make no mistake: while we respect you, by no stretch of the imagination does this mean we’re afraid of you. Give us respect, too,” Ortega remarked.
The government lodged more than 7,000 deaths under Duterte's drug war. However, local and international human rights organizations estimated that the death toll exceeded 30,000, affecting predominantly low-income families and communities.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is keen to probe Duterte’s alleged human rights violation especially now that the family of the victims and the perpetrators are starting to come forward.
Similar to the government’s stance, quad comm maintained that it would not cooperate nor submit to the ICC its initial findings and transcripts.