Lawmakers seek Congress rule suspension for joint drug war probe

Metro Manila, Philippines — Two lawmakers called on both houses of Congress to suspend rules and allow a joint investigation on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

The House quad committee has held nine hearings on extrajudicial killings linked to the drug war. The Senate, meanwhile, will begin its probe on Oct. 28.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers and Santa Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez raised the possibility of a joint inquiry, but Senate President Chiz Escudero initially said there is no provision in their rules for such.

“Ang usapin ay of national importance… I think pag-usapan ni [House] Speaker [Martin Romualdez] ‘yan at saka ni SP (Senate President) para kung papayag, we can suspend the rules, create this so-called historic and unprecedented joint committee investigation,” Barbers said in an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

[Translation: The issue is of national importance. I think the House speaker and SP can discuss it. If they agree, we can suspend the rules and create this so-called historic and unprecedented joint committee investigation.]

“Iko-convene together para hindi siya waste of time, waste of effort, energy, communication… When we are all together, in one place, we can exchange knowledge and information right away para at least mabilis ‘yung gagampanan namin,” Fernandez explained.

[Translation: The Senate and House will be convened so it will not be a waste of time, effort, energy, and communication. When we are all together, in one place, we can exchange knowledge and information right away to expedite our accomplishment.]

Possible contempt order

Meanwhile, Fernandez said he fears PLtCol. Jovie Espenido (ret.) and self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa may be cited in contempt at the Senate.

Espenido and Espinosa have implicated Senator Bato dela Rosa in the drug war testimonies in the quad-committee.

“I’m pretty sure they will be cited in contempt kasi unang-una, sasabihin, ‘Bakit ka nagsinungaling dito sa Senado?’ So, you are lying, lalo na ‘pag nag-init na ang ulo ni Senator Bato,” Fernandez said.

[Translation: I'm pretty sure they will be cited in contempt because first, they will say, “Why are you lying in the Senate?” You are lying, especially when Senator Bato gets hot headed.]

Barbers said it would need a majority decision to approve the motion for contempt.

Dela Rosa has skipped the House joint panel probe citing inter-parliamentary courtesy.

Fernandez, however, said the accusations against Dela Rosa are serious for him to invoke inter-parliamentary courtesy.

‘Deception in the highest level’

The Santa Rosa lawmaker also called Duterte’s war on drugs a “deception in the highest level.”

He said lawmakers initially applauded the campaign as it aimed to eradicate illegal drugs.

“Never in our thoughts and in our minds na meron palang ganitong klase ng pagpatay at may pagbayad sa pinapatay du'n sa atin pong kapulisan,” Fernandez said.

[Translation: It never crossed our thoughts and minds that there will be killings and rewards for police officers who would kill drug suspects.]

PCol. Royina Garma (ret.) revealed that Duterte planned to implement at a national scale the Davao drug war model, in which cops are rewarded for each dead drug suspect.

Duterte has repeatedly skipped the quad committee probe, the last for health reasons.

The International Criminal Court is looking into the drug war for supposed crimes against humanity.