MANILA, Philippines – Former president Rodrigo Duterte will skip on Tuesday, October 22, the ninth hearing that will be conducted by the House of Representatives quad committee, which has been investigating drug war-related killings under his administration.
His lawyer, in a letter to House quad committee co-chair Ace Barbers, cited the former president’s health condition for missing Tuesday’s inquiry.
“Aside from the short notice given him, my client just arrived in Davao from Metro Manila last October 17, 2024. Considering his advanced age and the several engagements he had to attend, he is currently not feeling well and is in need of much rest. Hence, my client respectfully requests to defer his appearance before the honorable committee scheduled tomorrow,” the letter read, signed by Duterte’s counsel Martin Delgra III.
However, Duterte, according to his lawyer, is committed to take part in proceedings that will take place “after November 1, 2024.”
The House mega panel — composed of four standing committees — wants Duterte to grace the inquiry to shed light on extrajudicial killings that plagued his presidency.
Government records show over 6,000 drug war suspects have been killed in police operations from 2016 to 2021, but human rights groups believe the death toll is between 27,000 and 30,000.
During the eighth day of hearing of the quad committee, retired police colonel Royina Garma claimed that Duterte, after it became apparent that he would win the 2016 elections, recruited people “capable of implementing the war on drugs on a national scale, replicating the Davao model.”
The Davao model refers to a system of payment which rewarded drug war actors for successful killings, funded planned operations, and refunded operational expenses.
Duterte has denied the existence of such a reward system. – Rappler.com