MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s previous rhetoric encouraging the killing of drug suspects and so-called “ninja cops” casts an extended shadow over his anticipated Senate look at the moment, which may very well be the primary time he faces questions on the violent techniques utilized in his administration’s drug warfare.
Interviewed by reporters on Saturday, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa reiterated his assurance final week that his former boss will seem earlier than the Senate. Dela Rosa had served Duterte as former chief of the Philippine Nationwide Police and as Davao Metropolis police chief when the previous President was its longtime mayor.
READ: Pimentel tapped to steer Senate drug warfare probe
“He (Duterte) is prepared. We didn’t speak concerning the investigation, however he mentioned he’ll face the Senate and reply questions,” Dela Rosa mentioned, including that he not too long ago had dinner with Duterte in Davao Metropolis.
However Senate Minority Chief Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, designated head of the drug warfare inquiry, mentioned he had “no concept” if Duterte would attend at the moment’s listening to.
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“I didn’t discover out whether or not his attendance was confirmed or not since we’ve numerous invited useful resource individuals and witnesses,” Pimentel advised reporters additionally on Saturday.
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“If he exhibits up, he (Duterte) could be a witness. If he doesn’t come, the listening to will nonetheless go on. Our listening to is not going to be held hostage by one particular person’s presence,” Pimentel mentioned.
‘Comply with the proof’
The listening to is predicted to deal with Duterte’s potential culpability within the 1000’s of deaths throughout his drug warfare, though Pimentel was noncommittal about any particular agenda to be adopted by the inquiry.
“We’ll comply with the proof,” he mentioned when requested if the Senate will revisit Duterte’s previous “kill” rhetoric, in reference to the alleged reward system incentivizing the killings already raised earlier than the inquiry of the Home of Representatives.
Human rights lawyer and former social gathering listing congressman Neri Colmenares mentioned he was cautious concerning the listening to, saying it might solely be efficient “if the senators will ask the real, necessary questions”—and if Dela Rosa and Duterte’s former Particular Assistant and now Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go inhibit themselves.
Each are being eyed as presumably being among the many most chargeable for the over 7,000 deaths formally recorded throughout the drug warfare and even within the 1000’s others killed in Davao Metropolis when Duterte was mayor. Go, particularly, is being accused of facilitating the rewards system by testimonies earlier than the Home quad committee.
“That is the place he (Duterte) would possibly battle to wriggle out of,” mentioned Colmenares, authorized counsel for the drug warfare victims who had filed fees of crimes in opposition to humanity in opposition to Duterte earlier than the Worldwide Legal Court docket (ICC). “Not solely did he order the killings, however he additionally funded them. And never an strange particular person would spend thousands and thousands of pesos simply to fund such a factor… the one one with the potential to try this is the president.”
He was referring to the truth that the Workplace of the President below Duterte had requested billions in confidential funds.
Colmenares additionally expressed concern that ought to Duterte attend the listening to, it is perhaps to “filibuster and meander, in order that he might management the narrative.”
‘Uttered publicly’
A glance again at Duterte’s statements and remarks revealed that he had promised thousands and thousands of pesos to people who might carry “lifeless or alive” drug suspects or rogue cops.
These “encouraging phrases,” Colmenares mentioned, was on the coronary heart of their argument earlier than the ICC, that his rhetoric successfully turned the killings right into a “widespread and systematic assault” in opposition to civilians and proved he had “information of the assault.”
For essentially the most a part of his administration, Duterte would both flip-flop or say he was merely exaggerating or joking.
However as the pinnacle of the chief department, the police and all different companies reply to him,” mentioned College of the Philippines political scientist professor Maria Ela Atienza.
“He can say these are jokes or figures of speech, however these have been uttered publicly. No matter he mentioned, these are to be taken [as] orders of the chief department,” Atienza mentioned.
As early as June 2016, Duterte already put a bounty of P3 million on drug lords or police concerned in medication, which he upped to P5 million later. Different bounties embrace P2 million for these overseeing drug distribution, P1 million for “second-echelon” syndicate members, and P50,000 for strange peddlers.
In Cebu, he raised the P5-million bounty to P5.5 million, describing it as a “premium.”
“I’m not saying that you simply kill them, however the order is ‘lifeless or alive,’” the previous President mentioned.
That very same month, United Nations particular rapporteurs already known as out the bounties.
In September 2016, Duterte introduced a P200,000 reward for cops concerned in profitable operations in opposition to medication and terrorism.
The subsequent month, he introduced to Zamboanga Metropolis police a P2-million reward for anybody who may give data on officers in unlawful medication and different prison actions.
In August 2017, talking in Ozamiz Metropolis, following the burial of slain Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and three relations, he once more provided P2 million to anybody who might assist neutralize policemen within the narcotics commerce.
“If you would like cash, go after them. No questions requested. I might not be asking who killed them,” he mentioned.
Statements by Go, Dela Rosa
Go and Dela Rosa had even affirmed the President’s statements. In a 2016 interview, Dela Rosa mentioned the reward was an “further motivation” for cops “as an alternative of them receiving drug cash.”
In 2019, Go confirmed the reward system, noting a P1-million bounty for lifeless “ninja cops” (rogue cops allegedly within the drug commerce) and P2 million in the event that they resisted arrest.
Former Sen. Leila de Lima, who had additionally earlier testified earlier than the Home, may even seem on the Senate, her camp mentioned. A showdown is subsequently potential between Duterte and his main critic within the drug warfare, if he exhibits up.
Atienza mentioned the Senate inquiry, whereas it could be “unprecedented, …shouldn’t be shocking, as a result of that’s the position of the legislature, they usually’re making up for what they didn’t do when the president was nonetheless sitting.”
“That is one thing like saving face, however higher late than by no means,” she mentioned.