Dela Rosa: House to use investigation on drug war, EJKs in ICC probe

SEN. Ronald dela Rosa yesterday said he “declined” the invitation of the House of Representatives for him to attend its four-committee probe on the various issues linked to the Duterte administration.

In a text message to the media, Dela Rosa said: “I declined their invitation on the grounds that I don’t want to become the precedent in breaking the interparliamentary courtesy tradition of both houses of Congress.”

The House quad committee is set to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings committed in pursuit of the illegal drugs war of the Duterte administration, and the crimes linked to the operation of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

In a media interview, Dela Rosa said he believes that the House inquiry will “most likely” be used against him, the Duterte family and their allies in the ongoing investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on their supposed crimes against humanity related to the bloody war on drugs.

“Most likely because the efforts are there. Sino ba ang Speaker of the House? Romualdez. Eh sino ang nandoon nag-kumbinsi na mag-testify against Duterte? Romualdez and Congressman Zaldy Co. So, very obvious (Most likely because the efforts are there. Who is the Speaker of the House? [Martin] Romualdez. Who were present when they convinced my former police colleagues to testify against Duterte? Romualdez and Congressman Zaldy Co. So, very obvious),” he said.

Dela Rosa was referring to an “A-1” information he supposedly got from sources that former Sen. Anto-nio Trillanes IV and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) director general Ricardo de Leon met with former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde, former CIDG chief Romeo Caramat, former police intelli-gence official Eleazar Matta, and former National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo on different occasions to convince them to execute sworn affidavits to pin the drug-related EJKs to Duterte.

Dela Rosa said that according to his informant, Romualdez and Co were purportedly present when Tril-lanes and De Leon supposedly met with Albayalde, Caramat, Matta, and Leonardo.

Trillanes earlier said that Dela Rosa, Albayalde, Caramat, Matta, and Leonardo are now