Duterte drug war a multibillion-peso business - lawmaker

Metro Manila, Philippines - Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war was a multibillion-peso business, a House lawmaker said on Monday, March 17.

The House quad committee has been looking into Duterte’s drug war and extrajudicial killings linked to it. Based on its initial conclusion in December, it found what it called a “grand criminal enterprise” behind the drug war, of which the former president was at the center.

READ: House quad-panel recommends filing cases vs ex-Pres. Duterte, Go, Dela Rosa

Citing previous investigations, panel member and House Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun said the price of illegal drugs ballooned during Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign.

“Para simple, ganito po: Bakit ‘Grand Budol ang War on Drugs?’ Kasi hindi lang ito madugo - ito po ay isang bilyong-pisong negosyo. ‘Yung maliliit na nagtutulak, pinagpapatay, pero ‘yung malalaking sindikato, lalo pang lumakas. Bakit? Kasi sila ang kumontrol sa supply. At kapag sila lang ang natira, sila rin ang nagtakda ng presyo,” he said.

[Translation: To simplify it, why is the war on drugs a grand swindling? Because it is not only bloody - this is a multibillion-peso business. Small drug pushers were killed but large syndicates grew stronger. Why? Because they controlled the supply.]

“Hindi lang simpleng patayan ang war on drugs. Isa itong sistematikong operasyon para pagkakitaan ang dugo ng tao. Kung may hustisya, dapat managot ang lahat - mula kay Duterte hanggang sa lahat ng kasabwat niyang sindikato,” the Zambales representative said.

[Translation: The war on drugs was not merely about killing. It is a systematic operation to benefit from the blood of the people. If there is justice, everyone should be held accountable - from Duterte to the syndicates that colluded with him.]

Duterte’s former spokesperson Salvador Panelo called Khonghun’s remark “pure nonsense.”

Duterte has been under the International Criminal Court (ICC) custody after he was arrested for crimes against humanity due to his brutal illegal drug crackdown.

House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega said a conviction for the 79-year-old Duterte may mean spending his entire life in the ICC prison.

“He is facing 43 counts of murder in the crimes against humanity case. One conviction alone for each count (or killing) is more than enough to put him away,” the La Union representative said in a separate statement.

Ortega said there would be a “very fair trial” at the ICC where neither the Duterte camp nor the Philippine government can influence.