Senate Minority Chief Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III —Senate Social Media Unit
MANILA, Philippines — Days after he dominated out the potential of both Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa or Christopher “Bong” Go heading a Senate inquiry into the drug conflict killings beneath the earlier administration, Senate President Francis Escudero introduced on Sunday that he had tapped Minority Chief Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III for the duty.
“The investigation can be led by the blue ribbon committee of which the [chairperson] is Sen. Pia Cayetano. However since she can be busy throughout the recess being a reelectionist, the duty could also be assigned to Sen. Koko Pimentel as a subcommittee chair,” Escudero stated in a radio interview over dzBB.
READ: Hontiveros: Senate drug conflict probe would ‘complement’ Home investigation
He defined that the duty was given to the blue ribbon committee as a result of, beneath Senate guidelines, it’s the solely panel licensed to provoke an inquiry with no referral from members.
READ: Escudero: Dela Rosa should not lead drug conflict probe to keep away from cost of bias
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“We had mentioned within the plenary about this remark that at any time when Congress is on recess, the ability of the committee on guidelines to refer a matter to the suitable committee is hijacked,” Escudero stated.
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The Senate management merely reiterated the rule that solely the blue ribbon committee may launch an investigation motu proprio (at its personal initiative), he added.
“This energy will not be accessible to all committees, which might have allowed Senator Bato to conduct hearings throughout the recess,” Escudero stated.
In a Viber message, Pimentel clarified that whereas he was prepared to preside over the inquiry, the matter has but to be formally referred to him by the Senate management.
“The subcommittee has not but been established. I’ll meet my employees [on Monday] to debate all of the questions being raised,” he stated.
Escudero instructed reporters final Thursday that he had instructed Dela Rosa it might be higher for both him or Go to not head the Senate inquiry to keep away from questions of impartiality and equity.
Through the Oct. 11 listening to of the Home quad committee which has been investigating the 1000’s of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) beneath the earlier administration, retired Police Col. Royina Garma implicated former President Rodrigo Duterte and Go, then the particular assistant to the President, within the implementation of the federal government’s drug conflict which was patterned after the “Davao mannequin.”
In accordance with Garma, the Davao mannequin referred to a system of funds and rewards beneath which law enforcement officials concerned within the antidrug marketing campaign acquired funding for planning operations, financial rewards for killing drug suspects and reimbursements for operational bills.
Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine Nationwide Police chief beneath Duterte, stated there was no such reward system—a sentiment echoed by Go who additionally stated he had nothing to do with the drug conflict.
Escudero stated he had mentioned with Cayetano and Pimentel the necessity to “coordinate” with Dela Rosa and Go in regards to the potential witnesses they need to invite to the upcoming hearings.
Not retaliation
The Senate chief additionally dismissed hypothesis that the Senate investigation was aimed toward permitting Duterte allies within the chamber to retaliate in opposition to witnesses within the Home quad committee hearings who had made damning exposés in opposition to the previous president in addition to Dela Rosa and Go.
“To me, that’s not a type of retaliation. I see it as [their] proper and obligation as elective officers to current their aspect… on the problems being hurled in opposition to them,” Escudero stated.
Neither Go nor Dela Rosa has expressed curiosity in showing earlier than the quad committee to defend themselves, though Duterte earlier stated he would go ought to he obtain an invite.
In response, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chair of the Home committee on harmful medicine, one of many 4 panels wanting into EJKs, invited Duterte to the resumption of their listening to on Oct. 22.
In a letter dated Oct. 18, Barbers stated the previous president may “present helpful insights and make clear the problems beneath dialogue, notably on extrajudicial killings.”
Duterte has but to reply as of Sunday.
Uncertain Du30 will attend
Manila Rep. Benny Abante, the quad committee’s cochair, instructed the Inquirer, “We anticipate him to elucidate to us his conflict on medicine, if certainly he believes there have been EJKs and if he is aware of something in regards to the reward system.”
However former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares and lawyer Kristina Conti, cocounsels for the households of drug conflict victims in a case filed in opposition to the previous president earlier than the Worldwide Legal Court docket, don’t suppose Duterte would present up.
“It’s good if he attends in order that the households of his victims will be capable to confront him,” Colmenares stated. “However I feel Duterte is not going to attend. He won’t be able to reply the questions if he attends.”
Conti stated the identical factor, including that the previous president would keep away from being caught mendacity beneath oath.
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“But when, nonetheless, in a lucid second he does attend and speaks on the document, we want he would speak about ‘how’ and ‘why,’ she added.
