House Panel Recommends Crimes Against Humanity Charges Against Duterte and Allies

The House Quad Committee has recommended charging former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senators Christopher Lawrence Go and Ronald Dela Rosa, along with other police officials, with crimes against humanity related to the alleged extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s drug war. The recommendation came after a thorough investigation, detailed in a 43-page report presented by the committee’s chair, Representative Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte. The report, which was adopted during a plenary session, highlighted evidence and testimonies from 13 hearings on extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs, and illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs). The charges are to be filed under Section 6 of Republic Act 9851, which addresses crimes against international humanitarian law, genocide, and other crimes against humanity. Other officials implicated include former Philippine National Police chiefs Oscar David Albayalde and Debold Sinas, P/Colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo, and Palace aide Herminia “Muking” Espino. Duterte’s admission of key elements of his drug war, including the Davao Death Squad and a reward system for police involved in killings, was noted in the report. The committee criticized Duterte’s exaggerated claims about drug users, which were used to justify the killings, and pointed out that the drug war only slightly reduced the number of drug users. The report also uncovered links between POGOs and illegal activities, including drug smuggling operations involving Duterte’s allies. Legislative recommendations include classifying extrajudicial killings as heinous crimes, banning POGOs, enabling civil forfeiture of illegally acquired properties, and allowing the administrative cancellation of fraudulent birth certificates. The committee also suggested amendments to various laws and the revival of the death penalty for drug-related offenses, as well as the creation of an inter-agency body to investigate extrajudicial killings and the establishment of an independent Internal Affairs unit within the Philippine National Police.