THE Quad Comm looking into extrajudicial killings (EJKs), among other issues, on Friday vowed to render justice to victims of EJKs and human rights violations during the Duterte administration.
Lead panel chairman Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte made the promise at the start of Quad Comm’s eight hearing, during which some EJK victims, family members and other witnesses were set to tell or retell their painful stories.
“Sa ating mga kababayan sa lahat ng dako ng daigdig, hindi po natutulog ang hustisya. Gagawin po namin ang lahat ng aming makakaya upang magampanan ang aming tungkulin bilang mga mambabatas. Ipaglalaban namin ang lahat ng ating mga karapatan. Karapatang mabuhay ng tahimik, walang takot, malaya, at may dignidad,” he said.
“We will continue to hear your stories, seek out justice and truth, and fight for your rights, in the face of threats to suppress them. Together we fight for dignity and honor. We can only craft protection if we know the truth. Those who violated our laws should be brought to justice,” said Barbers, who chairs the committee on dangerous drugs.
He said the House of the People would be open to any victim, family member or witness who wants to share their sad experiences in the hands of rouge law enforcers involved in the Duterte administration’s brutal war on illegal drugs.
“Mga minamahal naming mga kababayan, ano man po ang hadlang na itatapon sa amin, mananatili kaming tapat sa inyo. Makaka-asa kayo na patuloy naming gagampanan ang aming tungkulin. Mananatiling bukas ang aming mga pintuan para sa inyo dito sa…House of the People,” he added.
Barbers pointed out that today’s witnesses were “inspired by Quad Comm’s success in the Barayuga murder case” and “have decided to come forward to help us tell the nation and the world the evil they have experienced, so that just like in the Nuremberg trials of World War II atrocities, these horrible acts may not happen again, their perpetrators brought to justice, and laws may be amended, introduced and crafted to guarantee these ends.”
He said the witnesses were to “recount to us their horrible experiences and retell their painful stories, this time around, without fear and with renewed hope that Quad Comm may be the instrument to find their closures and the justice that has eluded them for years.”
“Sa lahat po ng aming ginagawa, wala kaming gustong sirain at wakasan kundi ang pang aabuso sa kapangyarihan, ang pagmamalabis, ang panloloko at pagsasamantala ng mga dayuhan, pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan, pananakot, at pagpatay ng walang katwiran o pagsasa alang-alang sa karapatang-pantao kapalit ng pangakong salapi, promosyon sa posisyon, o pagbabalik sa serbisyo,” he stressed.
He said such promises and rewards destroyed institutions, honor, beliefs, religiosity, and respect for human life, comparing what happened to cancer.
“Ang mga pangakong ito at pabuya ang sumira ng mga institusyon, paninindigan, dangal, paniniwala sa Diyos, relihiyon, pagpapa halaga sa kapwa at sa halaga ng buhay, sa mga pamilya, at nagpatibay ng maling paniniwala ng mga sangkot sa karumal dumal na krimeng ito na ang kanilang ginawa ay tama at ang kanilang pabuyang natanggap ay kanilang premyo sa pagsunod sa mga utos ng nakatataas,” he said.
“Isang matinding kanser ng lipunan ang nangyari. Marami sa mga sangkot ay nagkamal ng limpak-limpak sa salapi na sya ngayon nilang ginagamit upang patuloy na takutin ang mga biktima, na para bagang walang katapusang kasamaan ang hanggang ngayon ay namamayani at naghahari sa ating bayan,” he said.
The lead Quad Comm chairman emphasized that the Constitution empowers Congress to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation so it can make an informed decision in crafting or amending laws.
“Para sa kaalaman ng lahat, mismong ang ating Saligang Batas o Konstitusyon ang nagbigay ng kapangyarihan sa Kongreso na mag-imbestiga upang bumalangkas ng mga batas na magbibigay proteksyon sa mga mamamayan laban sa mga masasamang gawain gaya ng mga nakita at napatunayan natin sa mga nakalipas na pandinig,” he said.
He lamented that while those behind EJKs have denied making money from their illegal activities, it is telling that they have engaged services of high-profile lawyers known for their expensive billings.
“Habang patuloy sila sa pagtanggi na sila ay kumita ng limpak limpak, patuloy naman sila sa pag kuha ng serbisyo ng mga abogado na limpak limpak din kung maningil. Paano nila nababayaran ang mga sangkatutak na abogadong ito. Sila na rin ang nagpa sinungaling sa kanilang mga sinabi rito,” he said.