Quad Comm to Question Former President Duterte and Ex-PNP Chiefs on Drug War

MANILA — The House of Representatives’ newly-formed Quad Comm will invite former President Rodrigo Duterte and past chiefs of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to testify about their roles in the controversial war on drugs, extra-judicial killings, and the operations of Philippine online gaming operators (POGOs), announced Rep. Bienvenido ‘Benny’ Abante Jr., Chair of the House Human Rights Committee.

According to Philippines News Agency, the invitations aim to clarify numerous issues from Duterte’s administration that have raised national security concerns. The Quad Comm, which includes representatives from various oversight committees, seeks insights directly from Duterte and former PNP leaders who orchestrated the anti-drug campaigns. Despite previous invitations, Duterte has not yet participated in these inquiries.

The committee is particularly focused on allegations presented by the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, suggesting around 20,000 deaths linked to the drug war, with additional thousands attributed to vigilante killings. In contrast, PNP data provided to the Human Rights panel cites the deaths of 21 drug lords, 7,000 drug pushers, and 440 drug users during the campaign. Abante highlighted concerns about a potential reward system for police involved in these operations, questioning the source of these funds.

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, along with other key officials like Harry Roque, Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson, will also receive invitations to participate in the hearings. Abante emphasized that the involvement of these figures is crucial for addressing past actions and informing future legislative reforms aimed at rectifying identified issues and prosecuting legal violations uncovered by the committee.