MANILA — The House Committee on Human Rights is set to begin on May 22 its inquiry into the alleged extrajudicial killings being linked to the drug war under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The panel plans to invite to the hearings former officials who served under Duterte’s term, including former Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde and former Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra. 

But former President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who also served as PNP chief under Duterte, will be spared from attending the House probe.

“We would like to maintain that courtesy with the sitting senator and also with the former president. So, palagay ko tama na yung imbitahan namin yung talagang very much involved in this. I think they can shed light to some of the inquiries we’re gonna have,” House Committee on Human Rights Chairperson and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. said.

“Pero iimbitahan po namin iyong talagang nandoon, for example, like Gen. Albayalde… and perhaps we will also be able to invite the former DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra to shed light in all these things,” he added.

The families of EJK victims will also be invited to the hearings.

Abante said the investigation will seek to determine whether human rights violations were committed in the drug war campaign and whether due process was observed. He gave assurances that the panel will not “witch hunt”, and allegations should be backed by evidence.

“We would like to emphasize that the House will approach this inquiry with the impartiality, objectivity, sensitivity, and empathy that such a profound responsibility demands, and as Chair of the House Committee on Human Rights, it is my duty and responsibility to ensure that this process is conducted with the utmost probity, fairness, and respect for all the parties involved,” Abante said.

“We'd like to find out, bakit maraming napatay? Bakit parang walang due process dito? ‘Yan ang hinahanap namin sa Committee on Human Rights,” he added.

SPECIAL HUMAN RIGHTS PANEL

Abante and Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s creation of a special committee on human rights coordination. Abante suggests that legal luminaries be part of the said “super body”.

Marcos Jr. had said that there is a need to have a human-rights-based approach towards drug control and counter-terrorism.

“Any effort that would improve the quality of the efforts of our government to preserve human rights of each individual citizen to me is a welcome development. Pangalawa, ito ay recognition ng ating Pangulo na binibigyan niya ng primacy ang karapatan ng bawat tao, bawat Pilipino,” Adiong said.

ICC PROBE

Abante, meanwhile, expressed openness to letting the International Criminal Court conduct its own investigation into the alleged human rights abuses during the drug war under previous administration.

“Let the ICC be the one to investigate and find out if it's true or not, ‘di ba? Because a lot of accusations have been said and we would like to stop the accusations once and for all,” he said.