Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s repeated absences in the Quad Committee hearings prompted a heated discussion on upholding and exercising their oversight of function before the panel began its session on Thursday, November 7.
During the 10th hearing of the mega panel, Lanao Del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said that Duterte’s absence was a clear act of evasion. This was in reference to the latter’s repeated nonattendance before the Committee. He cited that letters were merely sent to them through Duterte’s lawyer, Atty. Martin Delgra III.
Duterte’s Response Letter
According to Adiong, the former President is questioning the integrity and credibility of the Committee, as the former chose to attend the Senate Committee’s inquiry. Considering that Duterte ‘generously shared his thoughts’ on the war on drugs campaign, the Lanao Del Sur representative said that he would want to ask Atty. Delgra to expound on the submitted letter.
“As I was glancing over the letter, I also noticed that there were allegations of subordination. That some of the members here coerced a certain individual to say something—which is basically inducing perjury,” he added.
Due to that, Adiong said that the allegations cannot be ignored, because it borders criminal acts. Should Duterte accept the invite, Adiong said that he should uphold the constitution without mental reservation of acts of evasion; adding that they have the right to exercise their oversight function.
Motion to Issue a Show Cause Order
Duterte’s evident active participation in the Senate hearing on the drugs campaign prompted the panel to question the contradicting statements sent to them through the former President’s attorney.
According to Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano, the first reply sent through Duterte’s attorney assured the Committee that the former President would be present at the next hearing, specifically mentioning that he would attend after November 1.
“Hence, my client respectfully requests to defer his appearance before the honorable Committee scheduled tomorrow. Rest assured of my client’s willingness to appear before the House of Representatives on some other available date, preferably after November 1, 2024,” the letter submitted through Atty. Delgra read.
Paduano emphasized that their invitation was sent to Duterte way before the Senate Committee conducted a separate hearing. Due to this, the former stressed that the former President promised to attend their inquiry, but again dodged their invite last minute.
“Malinaw na naglolokohan tayo dito, because the first letter promised us that he would be here after November 1,” Paduano expressed.
With that, Paduano justified his motion to issue a show cause order against Atty. Delgra is for them to clarify the contradictions present in the letter; citing the multiple reasons provided about Duterte’s absence.
The 10th joint Committee hearing tackled the former President’s drug campaign against illegal drugs and the extrajudicial killings that had significant effects on the prevalence of crime in the Philippines.
