Pimentel sees no need for Duterte to return in next Senate drug war probe

Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel on Wednesday said that he doesn’t see the need for former President Rodrigo Duterte to attend the next hearing on his administration’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs.

“As of the moment, I see no need,” said Pimentel in a message to reporters. “If some senators see the need then if they manifest it, I will entertain the idea. But as of the moment, no one has.”

Pimentel chairs the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee which is looking into the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

During Monday’s hearing, Duterte stood firm that he will not apologize for the bloody drug war and even stressed that he will take “full, legal responsibility” on the matter.

At the same time, Duterte also admitted having a ‘death squad’ made up not of police officers but of individuals he called "gangsters."

When asked how the Senate will verify all revelations made by Duterte, Pimentel said that they will look into the materials they have.

“We have a lot of material to work with. Let the material stay. Let criminal law experts study very well the material with the committee,” said Pimentel.

Further, Pimentel said that there is no schedule yet for the next hearing but they are hoping that retired police colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo will attend soon.

The Blue Ribbon subcommittee earlier subpoenaed Garma and Leonardo following their absence during the hearing despite already testifying in the similar probe by the House of Representatives Quad Committee.

Garma earlier testified that Duterte implemented a Davao model drug war nationwide which rewards police officers with money for killing drug suspects. Duterte has since denied Garma’s claim.

Leonardo, meanwhile, said he has heard of the reward system for killing suspects but denied receiving such rewards.

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, for his part, said the Senate should end its probe on the drug war as the revelations and allegations are not up for the Congress to resolve. 

“Whether incriminating or not, let our justice system function; take its course. It is up to the DOJ (Department of Justice) and other agencies, up to their appreciation, whether there is basis or ready to file cases or not. Personally, I think, if we could cut it (drug war probe) short. We all know for a fact, the reality is that whether it's a Senate or a House investigation, it is politically charged. Let us leave it to concerned agencies to do their work on the information and facts discovered,” Ejercito said during Kapihan sa Senado.

Sought for comment, Pimentel said Ejercito has a point.

“He has good points. Pag usapan na lang ng body, especially with the mother committee,” Pimentel told GMA News Online.

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, on the other hand, said the Senate cannot end its probe because Garma, Kerwin Espinosa, and Ronnie Dayan are yet to face the subcommittee.

“Hindi pa nagpakita ‘yung mga resource person na nagdadaawit sa akin. Si Garma, si Kerwin Espinosa. Kailangan andyan sila para masatisfy ako,” Dela Rosa said in a separate press conference.

(Resource persons implicating me are yet to show up. Garma and Espinosa should show up for me to be satisfied.)

“I am not trying to prove the guilt or innocence of De Lima because the court already decided on that. What I am after is to probe whether Kerwin Espinosa is lying or telling the truth,” he added.— with a report from Llanesca Panti/RSJ/AOL, GMA Integrated News