Duterte skipping quad comm probe today

Former president Rodrigo Duterte is not attending today's hearing of the House of Representatives quad committee, which is investigating the alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) that transpired during his presidency, his lawyer said yesterday.

- JOSE RODEL CLAPANO

In a letter addressed to Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, quad comm lead chairman, Martin Delgra III said he consulted with Duterte, and the former president viewed his presence at the hearing "no longer necessary."

Delgra said they officially received last Saturday the quad comm's formal invitation for Duterte to attend its hearing today.

"Regrettably, upon consultation with him, my client respectfully manifests that while he respects and recognizes the authority of the honorable committees to conduct inquiries, in aid of legislation, he cannot attend the public hearing as scheduled for the following reasons," the lawyer said, citing three reasons.

"First, 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. While my client's attendance is supposedly for him to provide valuable insights and to shed light on issues under discussion, particularly in extrajudicial killings, it is apparent that the inquiry is a mere political ploy aimed to indict him for crime and crimes he did not commit," he noted.

Delgra also cited that quad comm co-chairmen Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and Santa Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez have been vocal about their position that Duterte should be held liable for the crime of "willful killing" under Section 6 of Republic Act 9851, or the Philippine Act on Crimes against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity.

Abante and Fernandez even alleged that the crimes are clear, according to Delgra.