Former President Rodrigo Duterte will not be permitted to dominate the proceedings of the House quad-committee hearing, which he is expected to attend today, November 13.
House Committee on Human Rights Chair and City of Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr. stated that Duterte will not be permitted to take control of the committee proceedings.
He added that Duterte will also not be allowed to use profanity as he did during the Senate hearing.
"Pinag-usapan na po namin iyan. Sinabi ko po na hindi ko po pahihintulutan iyan [pagmumura]. Ipo-point of order ko po siya bawat mura niya sapagka mayroon naman tayong batas sa penal code," Abante said in an exclusive interview with DZRH's Damdaming Bayan on Wednesday.
"Dati siyang prosecutor. Doon ba sa korte nagmumura siya? Huwag niya gagawin sa aming komite ang ginawa niya sa Senado," he added.
According to Abante, witnesses or resource persons are restrained from freely expressing what they wish to say.
As per the committee's protocol, members will pose questions while Duterte is expected only to respond. Should his responses go beyond what is necessary, the committee has the authority to step in and curtail his statements.
Meanwhile, Abante mentioned that it is also unlikely that Duterte will be cited for contempt, out of respect—not for his personality, but for his former position.
If his responses are deemed unacceptable, Duterte can be removed from the proceedings if his answers become excessively disruptive.
The committee remains hopeful that the former president's responses will be respectful and appropriate.
The House quad-committee is set to hold its 11th public hearing today, continuing its motu proprio investigation into the extrajudicial killings that took place during the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
