PNP: Ex-Pres. Duterte received House QuadComm invitation for EJKs probe

Former president Rodrigo Duterte has received the invitation from the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) to its hearing on Tuesday on the reported extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the war on drugs during his term, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.

“Napa-receive na po 'yung invitation po sa ating dating pangulo. I have this picture na napa-receive na po. Confirmed po yun,” PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing.

(Our former president has received the invitation. I have this picture that the invitation has already been received. That is confirmed.)

“Yung committee po ni [Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers] directed the [Criminal Investigation and Detection Group] to ensure that the invitation addressed to the former president must be received by him or his representative,” she added.

Fajardo said the invitation was received by Duterte’s representative on Sunday.

Barbers, who chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, invited Duterte through a letter dated October 18 for the hearing that is set on October 22, Tuesday. The hearing will start at 9:30 a.m.

"The Joint Committee respectfully invites you to attend the said inquiry to provide valuable insights and shed light on the issues under discussion particularly on extra-judicial killings,” the letter read.

Former presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo on Sunday said Duterte expressed intent to present himself in the House QuadComm hearing if he received an invitation.

“He said if he received an invitation, he will,” Panelo told GMA News Online.

Retired police colonel and ex-general manager of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office Royina Garma earlier said Duterte asked her to look for an officer who would implement the Davao model of the war on drugs on a national scale.

This system allegedly involves rewards up to P1 million for killing drug suspects.

Duterte however denied that a reward system was implemented during his administration’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs.

According to a report on 24 Oras on Friday, Duterte said in an interview that the only reward he gives to the police who successfully complete their mission is food and greetings. 

Government records show that there were at least 6,200 drug suspects killed in police operations from June 2016 to November 2021, but several human rights groups have refuted this and say that the number may have reached as much as 30,000 due to unreported related killings. —KG, GMA Integrated News