Rodrigo Duterte invited to House inquiry on drug war EJKs

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:23 p.m.)— The House joint committee has invited former President Rodrigo Duterte, along with senators Bong Go and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, to the next hearings on the drug war’s extrajudicial killings. 

Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte, 2nd District), who chairs the House quadcom, confirmed on Tuesday, October 15, that they have sent invitations to Duterte, Go and Dela Rosa. 

In an interview with NewsWatch Plus, Barbers said that the invitation was actually made during the quadcom’s second or third public hearing.

“An invitation was already sent to him before. If I'm not mistaken, it was for the second or third hearing of the quad. Invitations were sent not only to former President Duterte but also to Senator Bato and Senator Bong Go,” he said in Filipino.

In an earlier statement, Rep. Dan Fernandez (Santa Rosa, Lone District) and Rep. Bienvenido Abante (Manila, 6th District) said that the quadcom’s investigation on EJKs is a “continuing invitation” for Duterte.  

Fernandez is the chairperson of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, while Abante chairs the Committee on Human Rights. These are two committees under the House mega panel. 

RELATED: Rodrigo Duterte may be invited to House probe into EJKs — lawmakers

If Duterte attends the public hearings, Barbers said that they will be “honored by his presence.” Should he decide not to attend, the quadcom chair said that his decision will be respected. 

“But again, whatever their decision is, as far as the invitation is concerned, we will respect that,” Barbers said. 

Duterte has yet to provide an official response or acknowledgment of the House’s invitation. 

Meanwhile, the solon said “inter-parliamentary courtesy” may be extended to Go and Dela Rosa if they have no intention of attending the hearings.

This means that the senators will not be pressured or forced to attend the hearings as they are also members of Congress.

However, Barbers stressed that the invitation is an opportunity for Go and Dela Rosa to respond to the allegations made by several resource persons who said the two were involved in executing Duterte’s bloody war on drugs. 

“As for the senators, of