KARAPATAN to Quadcomm: Pursue probe on EJKs of activists under Duterte

As the House of Representatives’ Quad Committee investigating Duterte’s drug war geared for its 13th hearing tomorrow, KARAPATAN reiterated its call for the committee to pursue its probe to include the extrajudicial killings of political activists by Rodrigo Duterte’s death squads.

“In the Quadcomm’s past 12 hearings,” said KARAPATAN deputy secretary general Maria Sol Taule, “the police officials and other personalities involved in the killings of drug suspects turned out to be the same people involved in the killings of activists.”

“The killers were compensated and encouraged through monies sourced from the Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIF) of Rodrigo Duterte and local officials,” added Taule.

“Duterte’s victims, both from the drug war and the extrajudicial killings of activists, renew their call for justice and accountability,” said Taule. “We would like to see both Duterte and his minions like police captain Kenneth Paul Albotra, former police colonel Royina Garma, police colonel Lito Patay, former police chief Debold Sinas and former CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. held accountable and answer for their crimes.”

In a related development, victims of human rights violations filed a petition to have Duterte disbarred for, among other things, admitting having ordered the killing of drug suspects in Davao City, and in some cases, doing the killings himself.

Today’s Quadcomm hearing is also especially significant amid reports that self-confessed Davao Death Squad hitmen Arturo Lascañas and Edgar Matobato who served as witnesses against Duterte are now both abroad and under the protective custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in undisclosed locations.

“The ICC’s noose is slowly tightening around the necks of Duterte and his ilk,” said Taule. “The Quadcomm should contribute to the overall effort to exact accountability from the Duterte camp by drawing up a more comprehensive picture of Duterte’s crimes to include the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of activists.” #