The House of Representatives Quad Committee on Thursday is looking to check on the guns confiscated as evidence of suspects allegedly fighting back during police operations that killed more than 7,000 personalities in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
QuadComm co-chairperson Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante said that data from PNP showed that 7,173 drug pushers and 440 users were killed during the previous administration’s drug war from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2022.
“Now we were told that most of these killed, if not all, were killed sapagkat sila ay nanlaban. Therefore, the question is kung sila po ay nanlaban, mayroong nakuhang ebidensya ang kapulisan natin at sila ay nandoon sa tinatawag nating crime laboratory,” said Abante during the QuadComm’s 10th public hearing.
(Now we were told that most of these killed, if not all, were killed because they retaliated. Therefore, the question is if they fought back, the police got an evidence from them and these can be found in the crime laboratory.)
“Therefore, Mr. Chair, kung 7,173 pushers ang nanlaban at 440 ang users din ang nanlaban, they should have received more than 7,000 guns in the crime lab of the Philippine National Police today.”
(Therefore, Mr. Chair, if there were 7,173 pushers and 440 users fought back, the Philippine National Police should have more than 7,000 guns in their crime lab.)
Former President Rodrigo Duterte earlier told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that he had instructed policemen to coax drug suspects to fight back so they may be legally killed in the course of police operations.
Abante suggested to the House panel to have a look into the PNP’s inventory of confiscated guns during the anti-drug raids.
“If may I also suggest that we in the QuadComm could be able to have an ocular inspection on the crime lab of the Philippine National Police to find out if indeed there are enough guns that they have confiscated as evidence in the killings of more than 7,000 people,” he said.
QuadComm chairperson Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Ace Barbers agreed with Abante’s suggestion.
“Yes, we will schedule an ocular visit in the crime lab as soon as our schedule permits,” he said.
“I’m sure yung mga baril kasi may mga dates ‘yan at pangalan. Therefore, tignan natin maigi kung nanlaban itong 7,000 na ito,” Abante responded.
(I’m sure the guns have dates and names on them. Therefore, we should see if these 7,000 drug personalities really fought back to the police.)
Duterte told the Senate recently that he was taking “full, legal responsibility” on his administration’s war on drugs, but he stood firm that he will not apologize for it. —NB, GMA Integrated News
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