Palace supports reopening of probe into high-profile killings during Duterte drug war

Malacañang on Wednesday said it supports the possible reopening of investigation into the high-profile killings related to Duterte administration's war on drugs. 

''Of course. The reopening of the investigations of the high killings related to the war on drugs should indicate that the Marcos administration places the highest importance on the fair dispensation of justice and on the universal observance of the rule of law in the country,'' Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a message when asked if the Marcos administration will support such reinvestigation.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier said it would reopen the investigation into several cold cases of local officials killed at the height of the Duterte administration's violent campaign against narcotics. 

Reports said this includes the 2018 killing of then-Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili where a police officer is being tagged as one of the suspects.

Data from GMA Integrated News Research indicated that 14 local officials allegedly linked to illegal drugs during the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte were killed from 2016 to 2021.

Aside from Halili, this includes Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa in 2016, who was fatally shot several times when he allegedly resisted while being served a search warrant inside his prison cell at the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail.

Another is Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, who was killed in a police raid along with his wife and two siblings in 2017. His brother, former councilor and board member Ricardo Parojinog, was later killed inside a detention facility.

Meanwhile, at the Senate, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, an ally of Duterte, on Wednesday said he will launch a motu proprio investigation into the previous administration's war on drugs, with the former leader as one of the possible resource persons.

Dela Rosa, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public order and Dangerous Drugs and a former PNP chief during the Duterte administration, said this after Senator Bong Go mentioned that he is willing to file a resolution to launch a probe into the matter parallel to the investigation by the House Quad Committee (QuadComm).

"Definite na 'yan during the break. Motu proprio muna habang di pa na-refer sa akin 'yung [resolution] ni Senator Bong Go," Dela Rosa said in a phone interview with reporters.

(That's definite during the break. It will be motu proprio at first while Senator Bong Go's resolution is not yet referred to me.)

Asked if he would invite Duterte in the Senate probe, Dela Rosa said, "Ipapatawag natin at kung sinu-sino pang Cabinet member niya noon na puwede nating magiging resource person."

(We will invite him and his other Cabinet members that we could use as resource persons.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News