Following his admission that extrajudicial killings (EJKs) were allowed by his administration, families of the victims are calling for the prosecution of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Testifying before the Senate committee, Duterte said the so-called Davao Death Squad was real, and the Philippine National Police during his term was told to use extreme measures to neutralize suspected drug addicts and pushers.
Speaking on behalf of the families of the victims, various lawmakers this week called for the filing of charges against Duterte, who had told the Senate that he was taking “full legal responsibility” for the EJKs during his anti-drug campaign.
Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre of Tingog party-list said Duterte’s admission left no room for ambiguity. The ex-president must, therefore, be held accountable for his crimes.
“The former president has publicly accepted responsibility for these deaths. If we stand by our principles of justice and the rule of law, then Mr. Duterte must be held accountable,” said Acidre.
Acidre added that it is the responsibility of the state to penalize those who have committed infractions of the country’s laws, including and especially those who hold or have held the highest positions in government.
He said: “The wheels of justice must take its due course. Charges must be filed and if proven guilty, Rodrigo Duterte must go to jail.”
The number of victims of the Duterte drug war are estimated from a low of 5,000 to a high of 30,000. Most were young men from impoverished communities.
House Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun of Zambales said Duterte’s public admission was an opportunity to reaffirm the country’s commitment to the rule of law. He said this “is a critical time for our institutions to show their strength by pursuing the legal accountability that so many families have waited for.”
Also speaking for the victims, Lanao del Sur Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo said no one is above the law, regardless of their stature in society. He said Duterte’s admission “should galvanize us to reinforce our commitment to justice and human rights. We owe it to the victims and to the Filipino people to prove that our institutions can and will deliver justice.”
It is worth noting that Duterte had also been invited to attend the House hearings but he declined on multiple occasions. The ex-president, however, agreed to face the Senate, where he has a number of supporters.
After Duterte’s testimony, a number of families spoke out, saying the former president must be tried by the International Criminal Court, as they believed the country’s justice system was stacked against them.
Llore Pasco, for one, said her two sons who were killed in the name of the drug war could never find justice because powerful people like Duterte had too many friends and too many excuses.
It is for this reason that the ICC should come to the Philippines, she said.
The National Union of People’s Lawyers has taken the cudgels for the victims, one of several organizations to do so.
Lawyer Rey Cortez of the NUPL said, “How can you expect an effective investigation if even the cases against ordinary policemen who pulled the trigger are not prospering here?”
House Assistant Minority Leader Mika Suansing said: “The former president’s own words must be met with a serious response. For too long, victims of EJKs have waited for answers.”
House Quad Committee – which is holding the hearings on the Duterte drug war, among others — co-chair Rep. Benny Abante asked the Justice department and the Office of the Ombudsman to study the filing of charges.
It was during the House hearings that a “reward system” for the killing of suspects first came to light.
