Ex-president Duterte to skip House drug war probe again, doubts integrity

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte will be skipping another hearing of the House Quad Committee’s investigation into the extrajudicial killings of his drug war campaign, his legal counsel said on Wednesday, November 6. 

The tenth hearing is scheduled for Thursday, November 7. Duterte excused himself from the hearing on October 22 because he was feeling unwell. 

In a letter addressed to the joint committee’s chairperson, Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte, 2nd District), Duterte’s legal counsel Martin Delgra III said that the former president is doubting the lower chamber’s integrity and impartiality. 

“With all due respect, my client is already doubtful as to the Honorable House Quad Committee’s integrity, independence and probity to conduct the legislative inquiry in aid of legislation,” the letter read. 

Delgra explained that Duterte believes the inquiry “is a mere political ploy” where House lawmakers have the intention to indict him for crimes related to extrajudicial killings, which he asserted “he did not commit.”

Clear stance that Duterte committed a crime. The mega panel’s co-chairpersons Rep. Bienvenido Abante (Manila, 6th District) and Rep. Dan Fernandez (Santa Rosa, Lone District) mentioned earlier that Duterte is liable for crimes against humanity as defined by Republic Act 9851.

RELATED: Rodrigo Duterte is liable for crimes against humanity over drug war killings — House leaders 

Delgra referenced Abante and Fernandez’s stance on holding Duterte accountable under this law, stating that if the lawmakers genuinely believe Duterte is responsible for crimes against humanity related to the drug war killings, they should file criminal cases.

“If that is indeed their belief, then the proper course of action would be for them to file the proper criminal cases against my client before the Department of Justice and for the latter to resolve whether probable cause exists or not,” the legal counsel said.

Duterte had two other reasons for declining the House Quad Committee’s invitation, which was sent before the Senate’s parallel inquiry that began on October 28 which he attended. 

Alleged act of subornation. One reason was the