DOJ to assess House recommendation vs. Duterte - Marcos

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) will assess the recommendation of the House of Representatives to file charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senators Bato Dela Rosa and Bong Go in relation to the bloody drug war, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday, Dec. 19.

“May recommendation ang quad com - ganoon naman talaga ang proseso. When they do an oversight hearing, mayroon silang findings, ifo-forward nila ngayon sa DOJ with their own recommendations as to how to handle the findings in the hearings. So, we will go now to the DOJ,” said Marcos.

[Translation: The quadcom has a recommendation - that’s really the process. When they do an oversight hearing, they have their findings, which they will forward to the DOJ with their own recommendations as to how to handle the findings in the hearings. So, we will go now to the DOJ.]

“The DOJ will look at it and see if it is time to file cases, what cases to file, how to produce the evidence that we will need to actually build the case up,” he added.

The president, however, said it might take time before the agency comes up with an assessment on the committee recommendation.

During the final session day for the year, lead panel chairperson and Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers presented the committee’s initial findings after 13 hearings on illegal drugs and offshore gaming.

Others included in the case filing recommendation were:

• former Philippine National Police chief PGen Oscar Albayalde (ret.)

• former PNP chief PGen Debold Sinas (ret.)

• former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Royina Garma

• former National Police Commission Commissioner PCol Edilberto Leonardo (ret.)

• Hermina “Muking” Espino

“Witness testimonies, corroborated by evidence, revealed a system that incentivized the killing of suspected drug personalities—a system modeled after the so-called ‘Davao Template’ and replicated nationwide,” Barbers said during his speech.

The International Criminal Court is also investigating the controversial Duterte drug campaign.