One of the most searing images to appall the public this year was Vice President Sara Duterte spewing — for all the world to see, on Zoom — profanities at President Marcos Jr., his wife First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos, and first cousin House Speaker Martin Romualdez, AND saying — likewise, for all the world to hear — that she had contracted the services of an assassin (“no joke, no joke!”) to rub them out, if she were killed.
Another chilling picture was that of House Quad Committee (Quadcom) co-chair, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert “Ace” Barbers, relaying in a plenary speech at the House the Quadcomm report which recommended the filing of “appropriate charges against the perpetrators of crimes against humanity” – former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and seven others, including Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go, and four former top ranking police officers.
It may not have been entirely unexpected, but still, mention of former president Duterte’s name as among the “perpetrators against crimes against humanity” at the House where, not too long ago, congressmen had virtually knelt before him in obeisance, was nothing short of chilling.
Earlier, before the Quadcomm report was read out in plenary, Barbers had declared, “There will be no sacred cows. We will leave no stone unturned in the search for truth, justice and accountability.”
He underscored the link between the Duterte drug war and the extrajudicial killings which, he said, were “inseparable, as we have seen that (these) killings were perpetrated, tolerated, and even encouraged during the implementation of the war on drugs.”
Barbers also pointed to the pattern of systemic violence and corruption bared in the hearings, detailing testimonies implicating ranking officials, including the former president, in enforcing a reward system for killing drug suspects.
To recall, Royina Garma, who was a Davao City police officer and Cebu City police chief before she was appointed Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager, testified (corroborated by former National Police Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo) that the rewards ranged from P20,000 to P1 million.
Duterte himself admitted in his testimony before the Quadcomm that there were instructions for the police to fabricate resistance so that the killing of drug suspects could be justified.
When it was his turn to speak during the presentation of the Quadcomm report, panel co-chair and former police officer now Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop’s words best described what many, especially the multitude of Duterte admirers, along with those who closely followed the 13 hearings conducted by the Quadcomm, felt.
Speaking in Filipino, Acop said, “Napakasakit dahil tayo lahat ay nabudol (It is painful because we were all deceived). Napakasakit dahil Digong (It hurts very much because [Duterte’s nickname]) won on the platform of a hardline stance against illegal drugs and criminality. Siya pala ang mukha ng (He turned out to be the face of) illegal drugs and criminality.”
If Acop is, indeed, heartbroken he is not the only one distressed to see the former president unmasked as the central figure in what Acop described as a “grand criminal enterprise.”
Summarizing the Quadcomm’s findings after 13 public hearings, Acop did not mince words when he said that the committee “has uncovered a grand criminal enterprise and it would seem that at the center of it is the former president.”
The Duterte drug war, he said, was “used purportedly to protect key figures involved in the illegal drug trade while killing the competition.”
Acop also cited testimony by dismissed police colonel Eduardo Acierto who implicated the former president and his close allies, including his then special assistant now Senator Go, and former Philippine National Police chief and now Senator Dela Rosa, for allegedly protecting the illegal drugs network in the country.
To be sure, there is no guarantee that the complaints detailed in the House Quadcomm report will be filed. That falls on the families of the drug war victims or such pertinent government agencies as the National Bureau of Investigation.
President Marcos said the Department of Justice (DoJ) will have to review the Quadcomm’s recommendations.
In response, Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said, “Everyone saw resource persons (including Duterte himself) give revealing information and even self-incriminating admissions. All of this information will be evaluated; we will do thorough follow-up investigations and a case buildup. If the evidence warrants it, we will hold people legally accountable.”
Andres said that since he is no longer president, Duterte won’t be immune from suit.
Meanwhile, other than a third impeachment complaint filed against her for allegedly betraying the public trust, plunder, graft and corruption and other high crimes, including her failure to justify the alleged anomalous disbursement of over P600 million in confidential funds, the DoJ said VP Duterte is considered the “mastermind” of the criminal plot to assassinate the President, his wife, and the House Speaker.
Painful, indeed, it is to see two of the country’s highest and
(once?) most esteemed public officials named perpetrators of high crimes. And saddest of all, they’ve already admitted to their
crimes, even before they have been brought to court.