Leaders of the House Quad Committee welcomed and expressed strong support for Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ call for a Senate Committee of the Whole investigation into the drug war during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
They also called on Sen. Bato dela Rosa to clarify his recent statement confirming police officers received cash payments allegedly coursed through the office of then Special Assistant to the President and now Sen. Bong Go.
Quad Comm lead chair Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Sur and co-chair Rep. Dan Fernandez of Sta. Rosa City said the nature of the cash payments, which Dela Rosa referred to as “allowances,” should be fully explained, including why they were given and to whom.
“We support this call by Sen. Hontiveros to continue the Senate Committee of the Whole investigation on the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) of the previous administration’s drug war. We are very pleased that both houses of Congress are of one mind in this,” Barbers said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Fernandez echoed Barbers’ sentiments, stressing that Dela Rosa, as chief architect and enforcer of the drug war, should be transparent about the cash payments. He also welcomed Hontiveros’ call for a Senate inquiry but warned Dela Rosa should not lead the investigation.
“Sen. Dela Rosa cannot lead this Senate investigation because there is an obvious conflict of interest. He himself carried out the orders under the bloody anti-drug campaign. He was at the helm of this war, so he cannot objectively lead the probe,” Fernandez said.
