Senator Ronald dela Rosa said he want to start a separate probe into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
This after Dela Rosa was tagged in the House Quad Committee investigation as being one of the perpetrators of reward system for every drug suspect killed during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
He said the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, which Dela Rosa chairs, will “definitely” start the motu proprio investigation before the regular session resumes on Nov. 4.
Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, who was also named by resource persons in the Quad probe, earlier said he is willing to file a resolution to investigate allegations on the drug war.
However, one of the Quad Comm leaders on Wednesday expressed doubt over Dela Rosa’s ability to conduct a fair Senate investigation into his former boss’ bloody war on drugs.
Dela Rosa served as chief of the Philippine National Police during Duterte’s term.
Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., co-chair of the Quad Comm and chair the House Committee on Human Rights, said Dela Rosa’s close ties with Duterte could compromise the integrity of the Senate probe.
“I would think that he (Dela Rosa) would be more biased than actually balanced in that hearing,” Abante said.
The lawmaker questioned Dela Rosa’s ability to remain impartial given his involvement in the controversial anti-drug campaign.
Dela Rosa said he is planning to invite Duterte, admitting that the former President likely attend “because he’s more comfortable with the Senate compared to the House of Representatives.”
“I don’t think he will not attend if I will be the one inviting him,” Dela Rosa said.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, for his part, underscored the importance of including Duterte in the planned investigation to ensure justice and transparency.
“The testimony of the former president on the issue is crucial in uncovering the truth and ensuring that justice is served for all affected parties,” Estrada said in a statement.
Quad Committee resource persons implicated Duterte, Go, and Dela Rosa in the alleged EJKs during the drug war.
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, for her part, hinted that Duterte’s confidential funds may have financed the reward system that incentivized drug war-related EJKs.
Last Friday, Castro pressed former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Royina Garma on the alleged flow of money used to fund the EJKs.
“Do you think the source of the rewards were confidential funds or intelligence funds?” Castro asked.
“I don’t want to speculate,” Garma said.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra acknowledged there were rumors about the supposed reward system for slain drug suspects during the previous administration but no witnesses came forward to confirm it.
“There were rumors about it, but there was no actual witness who came forward to say that there was indeed such a system initiated by, you know, people at the top, so it can be said that it was a scheme,” Guevarra said in a television interview.
Guevarra served as Justice secretary during the Duterte administration.
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