DOJ will assess QuadComm recommendation vs. Duterte — Marcos

It will be up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assess the recommendation of the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) to file charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte and others over the past administration’s war on drugs, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday.

This came after the QuadComm recommended the filing of charges against Duterte, Senators Ronald Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go for alleged violation of the the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity.

“The DOJ will look at it and see if there are— if it is time to file cases, what cases to file, how to produce the evidence, and we will need to actually build the case up,” Marcos said in an ambush interview

“So titingnan pa 'yan. Marami pa. Kailangan pa i-assess nang mabuti kung ano yung maaaring maging kaso, tama ba yung direksyon ng rekomendasyon ng committees from House,” he added.

[So it will still be looked into .. it needs to be assessed thoroughly ... what will be the cases to be filed, if the House recommendations are in the right direction.]

The House QuadComm also found former National Police chiefs Oscar Albayalde and Debold Sinas, retired Police Colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo as well as former Palace Assistant Irmina “Muking” Espino liable.

The QuadComm investigated the deaths linked to Duterte's anti-drugs campaign and the crimes related to the operations of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.

The DOJ earlier formed a task force to investigate extrajudicial killings in the drug war under the Duterte administration.

Based on government records, around 6,200 drug suspects were killed during the Duterte administration's anti-drug operations. Human rights organizations, however, say the number may reach 30,000 due to the unreported related slays.

The former president has said that he will take “full, legal responsibility” for the drug war.

In a separate interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the DOJ has yet to “formally” receive the recommendation.

“Formally, hindi pa. Pero ayon sa proseso, lahat naman ng recommendations naman nila sa committee report ng kahit ano mang committee ng ating Senado at Kongreso ay tatanggapin ng ating National Prosecution Service,” he said.

[Formally, not yet. But based on the process, all recommendations in the committee report of any committee from the Senate and the House will be received by the NPS.]

“Titignan, titimbangin, at isasampa ‘yan, at magkakaroon ng mga kaso, at doon na magkakaroon ng preliminary investigation at due process ang bawat tao,” he added.

[They will look into this and then they may file cases, and this is when the preliminary investigation will take place and everyone will be accorded due process.)

When asked if the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is also investigating the drug, may also use the QuadComm report, Vasquez reiterated that the international tribunal has no jurisdiction in the country.

“Technically hindi dahil hindi na nga tayo saklaw ng ICC, eh. Pero hindi naman sila pinipigilan, hindi naman sila prevented from using the same witnesses, the same people,” he said.

[Technically, they are not allowed because we are no longer under the ICC. But the government will not prevent them from using the same witnesses, the same people.]

Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said the committee report and the results of the investigation of the EJK task force will be consolidated.

“Nagsimula na rin po itong kumalap ng ebidensya at ico-consolidate po natin lahat ng ebidensya kasama nitong bagong committee report,” he said in a separate interview.

[The task force has started gathering evidence and we will consolidate all the evidence with the new committee report.]

Aside from this, he said the National Bureau of Investigation may also issue subpoenas to those who testified before the House QuadComm.

Asked if this includes the former president, Andres said they will “look into that possibility.”

“But as of now, there are already admission on record made by the former president and that evidence is admissible because these are all under oath and in a public proceeding,” he said.

He also assured that there will be no harassment cases filed against anyone.

“Kami po ay nakakasiguro na hindi po kami mag fa-file ng any harassment case. But when the evidence warrants, at meron po tayong sapat na ebidensya, we will hold people accountable,” he said.

[We assure that we will not file a harassment case. But when the evidence warrants, if we have sufficient evidence, we will hold people accountable.]

Not surprised

Dela Rosa earlier said he was not surprised by the latest development.

“They are moving heaven and earth to make life difficult for us,” the senator said.

“‘Yun naman talaga ang kanilang pakay, talagang i-demolish ang mga Duterte at kanyang mga kaalyado,” Dela Rosa added. “Sige lang. Harapin natin ‘yan…’pag i-file na ng DOJ ‘yang kaso na ‘yan, harapin natin ‘yan.”

(That’s really their plan—to demolish the Dutertes and their allies. Just do it. We will face it…once the DOJ files that case, we will face it.)

In a statement, Go said he was leaving it up to the courts ïf the cases are filed.

"After all, 'yon din naman po ang sinabi ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte numerous times. More importantly, let the Filipino people decide kung umayos ba ang peace and order sa bansa at nakabenepisyo ba sila noong panahon ni FPRRD," Go said.

[After all, that's what former President Rodrigo Duterte had been saying numerous times. More importantly, let the Filipino people decide if the peace and order situation improved and if they benefited from the time of FPRRD.]

In a separate statement, Representative Paolo Duterte said he would "welcome any investigation to be conducted by an impartial and credible body, as I have nothing to hide."

"I remain committed to clearing our name and confident that the truth will expose the baseless nature of these accusations," Paolo said.

"However, I must stress that any call for investigation must be based on credible evidence, not on pure hearsay testimony from convicted felon like Jimmy Guban," he added.

— RSJ, GMA Integrated News