SAPAT na umano ang pag-amin ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa pagdinig ng Senado na inutusan nito ang mga pulis na patayin ang mga drug suspect upang mapanagot ito, ayon kay Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante.

“Under oath in the halls of the Senate last week, former President Duterte himself spoke before the Senate and the nation and in his own words took responsibility for the blood spilled in his war on drugs. He did not deny. He did not deflect. He admitted that he gave orders. Orders that directed our own police forces to encourage suspected criminals to fight back so they could be killed,” ani Abante sa pagdinig ng House Quad Committee.

“Under oath, he admitted to the existence of the Davao Death Squad, an entity with a lethal mandate that was replicated around the whole country when PRRD was elected president in 2016,” sabi ng solon.

Sa kanyang pambungad na pahayag sa ika-10 pagdinig ng Quad Comm, nangako si Abante na isusulong ang paghahanap ng hustisya sa mga pinaslang sa war on drugs ni Duterte.

“The banality of evil must come to an end. We stand for those who cannot speak, for the voices that were silenced too soon, and we stand with the promise, the solemn vow, that we will do everything in our power to ensure this never happens in our country again,” sabi nito.

“So in hearts full of resolve, and eyes fixated on justice, let us continue this work. For if we are to be remembered, if the 19th Congress is to be remembered, let it be not for the jokes or the gaslighting, but for our dedication to the truth, our commitment to justice, and our compassion for those who suffer,” dagdag pa ni Abante.

Sa ilalim ng drug war ni Duterte ay libu-libo ang nasawi.

Iniimbestigahan ng komite ang kaugnayan ng iligal na operasyon ng POGO sa kalakalan ng iligal na droga at extrajudicial killings kasama ang reward na ibinibigay umano sa nakakapatay ng drug suspect.

“We have a responsibility—not only to the victims but to our nation. We must continue this work—unyielding, unrelenting, uncompromising [to go after those who] perpetrated this heinous crime. Now we must ensure that the cries of the oppressed are not drowned out by laughter. That the dignity of human life is restored and that no one, no matter how powerful, is above the law,” dagdag pa ni Abante.