Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, during the public hearing Monday, October 28, 2024, by the Blue Ribbon Subcommittee on the Philippine War on Illegal Drugs, debates human rights lawyer Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno on what "neutralization" in the drug war meant. Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau, handout

MANILA — Critics of alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration's war on drugs on Monday raised doubts about the Senate hearing on the issue because of the active participation of senators who may have been involved in the campaign.

Among the most vocal of them was Sen. Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, former national police chief, who made statements to defend himself and the Philippine National Police and asked resource persons questions after their presentations to the Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee chaired by Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, a former Duterte ally.

• At Senate probe, Duterte allies and critics clash on legacy of bloody drug war

Go, who gave an opening statement, claimed that the drug war was necessary and enjoyed wide support from the public. 

He also said that he was not only a member of the panel holding the hearing but also a resource person on the Duterte administration's flagship program.

In a statement, the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers, whose members have been assisting the families of drug war victims in court, said that an inquiry at the House has already "yielded significant revelations" in alleged extrajudicial killings in the drug war and alleged reward system for those killings.

• 'Kamay na bakal': Bong Go defends Duterte drug war, denies reward system

"Today, as an investigation into the 'war on drugs' by the Senate opens, we are aghast that it has become a platform for those involved and accused," NUPL said in a statement.

The pro bono lawyers warned that the participation of Dela Rosa and former Duterte aide Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go in the proceedings raises doubts on how independent and effective the probe will be.

They pointed out that Go and Dela Rosa "had neither the decency nor discretion to inhibit themselves" from the probe despite being linked to the alleged drug war killings by resource persons at the inquiry being handled by the House quad committee.

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In a separate statement on social media, Kabataan Party-List Rep. Raoul Manuel said that "top officials in charge of the fake and anti-people drug war are hijacking the Senate hearing."

Manuel said that the people that the Senate panel was supposed to be investigating were being handed a platform to serve their own agenda.

"They are bastardizing the legislative inquiry. The Senate should not sit back and let Bato and Digong continue their self-serving move," he also said.

• 'Google it': Bato cites internet to dispute Diokno's report on 'neutralization' of drug suspects

Sens. Dela Rosa and Go, members of former President Reodrigo Duterte's Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, have denied claims made at the House that law enforcement personnel who killed alleged drug personalities received rewards as claimed in separate testimonies by Police Col. Jovie Espenido and retired Lt. Col. Royina Garma.

WRAP: Panelo plays down Garma claims that give ‘drug war’ families hope for justice amid politics

Dela Rosa had even proposed holding the inquiry under the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, which he chairs.

While official government data said 6,181 people were killed in Duterte's war on drugs, several rights group believed up to 30,000 may have been killed, some innocent victims, and that corruption was allegedly rife among security forces that acted with impunity.

DUTERTE DEFENDS DRUG WAR

Duterte, who has skipped the hearings at the House, appeared at the Senate on Monday to defend his flagship drug war and to say that he would take all responsibility for the policy and its implementation.

He claimed Monday that the anti-drug campaign had always looked at drug users as people in need of rehabilitation and government care.

Duterte in 2017 said that rehabilitation, especially for users of shabu, is useless. "When the brain has shrunk, it stays shrunk," he said then.

In its statement, NUPL said that Duterte "had already shown imprudence and impertinence, if not disdain" for proceedings at the House by not attending hearings.

"His presence at the Senate today, alongside those alleged to be his henchmen or supporters, is sinister."

• 'Ako ang makulong': Duterte says he takes 'full responsibility' for bloody drug war

The Senate gave Duterte latitude to talk at length about the war as well as to make side comments and, at times, curse.

In a separate statement, rights alliance Karapatan said that Duterte had turned the Senate proceedings into "a platform for his usual expletive-laced rants" and a "three-ring circus."

The group said that Duterte's statements offered nothing new from the former leader, "just the usual Duterte who curses through his answers when he squirms his way out of responsibility."

Karapatan added that the Senate allowing Duterte free rein at the inquiry would "derail the objective of determining and exacting accountability for the tens of thousands of killings under the war on drugs."

Manuel, on social media, said "being a former [president] is not a license to waste the time of the Filipino people." — Jonathan de Santos, ABS-CBN News