Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Ace Barbers

MANILA, Philippines – The House Quad Committee has recommended the filing of criminal cases against former President Rodrigo Duterte, top aides Sen. Bato Dela Rosa and Sen. Bong Go including former top cops over extrajudicial killings committed during the past administration’s bloody war on drugs. 

Citing the 43-page committee progress report outlining gathered evidence, testimonials and recommendations drawn from the 13 hearings into extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs, and illegal POGOs, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Ace Barbers manifested that the former President, along with his enablers, should be charged with crimes against humanity. 

“The quad comm recommends the filing of appropriate charges against…perpetrators of crimes against humanity under Section 6 of Republic Act No. 9581 or the Philippine Act on Crimes against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity — former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa, Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, former PNP chief Oscar David Albayalde, former PNP chief Debold Sinas, Police Colonel Royina Garma, Police Colonel Edilberto Leonardo, and Hermina ‘Muking’ Espino,” Barbers said. 

Barbers said that the former President’s own admissions in the November 13 hearing were the basis for the recommendation. Among those were the existence of a Davao Death Squad as well as a reward system modeled after the so-called Davao template that was replicated nationwide. 

He also admitted ordering the killing of illegal drug manufacturers and dealers, instructing cops to encourage criminals to fight back so they would have legal escape for a kill and having personally killed 6–7 suspects who displayed violent resistance during police operations among others. 

The report is a strong political push from the House of Representatives but the actual filing of cases still rests on the victims, legal groups and law enforcing government agencies.