PARA sa isang mambabatas isang kabalintunaan ang ginagawang pagsasalita ngayon ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte kaugnay ng karapatang pantao para maipagtanggol ang kanyang wanted na kaibigan na si Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

“It is ironic that today former President Rodrigo Duterte is speaking out in defense of the rights of his friend, when he attached very little value to human rights during his administration’s war on illegal drugs,” ani House Committee on Human Rights Chairperson Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., kinatawan ng Maynila.

Kinondena ni Duterte ang ginawang pagpasok ng mga pulis sa Kingdom of Jesus Christ sa Davao City kung saan pinaniniwalaang nagtatago si Quiboloy.

“The rights of every Filipino should be respected, whether they be pastor or pauper,” giit ni Abante.

“Perhaps if the former president had emphasized the importance of human rights during his administration, then we would not have to investigate the thousands of extrajudicial killings that occurred during his presidency’s war on drugs,” wika pa nito.

Sinabi ni Abante na isang “tragic irony” na lumabas ang mga pahayag ni Duterte habang iniimbestigahan ng House quad committee ang pagpatay sa libu-libong indibidwal sa kanyang war on drug campaign na nagresulta sa pagka-ulila ng maraming bata at nagdulot ng trauma sa maraming pamilya.

“Unlike the victims of the war on drugs, Quiboloy was afforded due process. Not one, but two courts issued warrants of arrest. The police went in to his compound with the end in view of arresting and detaining him. Even now, if he surrenders to authorities, Quiboloy will have his day in court,” punto ni Abante.

“Unfortunately and tragically, thousands of our kababayan who were slain during the war on drugs were not given the same opportunity,” dagdag pa nito.

Pinasok ng mga otoridad ang KOJC compound sa bisa ng warrant of arrest na ipinalabas ng korte.

Noong Abril, naglabas ng arrest warrant ang Davao Regional Trial Court Branch 12-Family Court laban kay Quiboloy at limang iba pa kaugnay ng kasong child abuse at sexual abuse. Sa kaparehong buwan ay naglabas din ang isang regional trial court ng Pasig City ng arrest warrant laban kay Quiboloy sa kasong qualified human trafficking.