BAGONG Alyansa Makabayan (Bayan) chairperson Teodoro “Teddy” Casiño said that should former President Rodrigo Duterte not attended the joint public hearing of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order & Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts of the House of Representatives (Quad Comm), it would indicate that he has significant legal liabilities.
The representative of progressive groups emphasized the importance of Duterte attending the hearings, noting that his absence would suggest that he has substantial legal responsibilities citing that the Quad Comm has unearthed the “Davao Model” and the alleged involvement of the Dutertes in drugs, money laundering, Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo), and extrajudicial killings (EJK).
“Quadcomm is doing a good job kaya lang nga yung mga witnesses ay ang tendency protektahan ang kanilang sarili so ang line dyan ay syempre inutusan lang kami, sumusunod lang kami kaya in the end, sa Duterte talaga babagsak,” he said in a media interview, on Wednesday, October 23 2024, at Yellow Hauz, Davao City.
(Quad Comm is doing a good job; however, witnesses tend to protect themselves, so their narrative is often that they were just following orders, which ultimately would lead to Duterte’s downfall).
Casiño said that with the Quad Comm’s investigation and intelligence findings, the likely conclusion would be Duterte’s imprisonment through the International Criminal Court (ICC), or if the local justice system is capable, he could face imprisonment locally.
Similarly, Vice President Sara Duterte is under investigation for the alleged misuse of intelligence and confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
Casiño said the possible conclusion of this investigation would be the vice president’s impeachment.
However, if Duterte’s daughter would not be impeached and him not be imprisoned, it would only support the former’s claim that the situation is merely due to politics.
Casiño stressed the need for serious efforts at accountability to hold the Dutertes responsible for their crimes. He noted that they are in the phase of uncovering the truth, and if adequately documented, the ICC, local authorities, or Congress would take action.
However, the Dutertes patriarch is currently at the Senate hearing to answer his administration's drug war as of press time. He is accompanied by former Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo and former Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica.
In his opening statement, he asserted that they should not question his policies and that he did what he had to do to protect the Filipino people from drugs.
“Sa lahat ng mga nagawa ng police [All of the things that the police have done], ako at ako ang makulong hindi sila [I should be the one imprisoned and not them]. I will take all the legal responsibility. Yan ang gusto kong sabihin sa mga tao. I have warned all of you as a president and as a private citizen now, drugs will destroy the Filipino and my country. I will do what is necessary to protect my community. This is a matter of principle. Papakamatayan ko yan,” he said.
To recall, Duterte skipped the Quad Comm hearing on extra-judicial killings as he was ill during that time as conveyed by his lawyer, Martin Delgra III. RGP with reports from PNA
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