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New York-based Human Rights Watch has published a report detailing the impact of President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war on Filipino children, whose parents or guardians were killed in the Philippine government's anti-narcotic operations. Fernando G. Sepe Jr., ABS-CBN News/file

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Drug war

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:900px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172921061555617291581790691729158205217.jpeg" style="width:900px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">New York-based Human Rights Watch has published a report detailing the impact of President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s drug war on Filipino children, whose parents or guardians were killed in the Philippine government&#x27;s anti-narcotic operations. <em>Fernando G. Sepe Jr., ABS-CBN News/file</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE)</strong>  — Senate President Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero on Friday said he preferred to launch the Senate&#x27;s own drug war probe as early as next week or before Congress resumes its sessions in November, when they are expected to deliberate on the proposed 2025 budget.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/17/drug-war-probe-should-be-led-by-senate-as-a-whole-not-just-bato-s-panel-hontiveros-1242">• Drug war probe should be led by Senate as a whole, not just Bato&#x27;s panel: Hontiveros</a></div><p>&quot;Ang sabi ko mas gusto kong masimulan sa recess para sa gayon medyo menos-menos na kapagka nag-resume kami dahil tatalakayin na namin ang panukalang budget sa 2025,&quot; Escudero told Teleradyo Serbisyo.</p><p>&quot;Ngayong recess, siguro sa darating na linggo,&quot; he added.</p><p>Both senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go have proposed that the Senate hold its own investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s drug war after they were implicated in the House quad committee probe on the matter.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/11/-initial-kerwin-espinosa-claims-dela-rosa-coerced-him-to-implicate-de-lima-in-drug-trade-1428">• Kerwin Espinosa claims Dela Rosa coerced him to implicate De Lima in drug trade</a></div><div><span data-teams="true" id="isPasted"><span dir="ltr">According to Escudero, the Senate&#x27;s drug war probe would likely be assigned to either the Blue Ribbon or the justice committee.</span></span></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/17/-akusado-ka-judge-ka-rin-dela-rosa-s-planned-drug-war-probe-is-improper-says-de-lima-1011">• Dela Rosa’s planned probe on drug war he led is ‘improper’, says De Lima</a></div><p>&quot;Sa ilalim ng aming rules ang Blue Ribbon lamang ang puwedeng mag motu proprio investigation… So ang direksyon, hindi pa naman pinal, Blue Ribbon ang mag-motu proprio investigation habang recess, pero kung magre-resume, malamang ang committee of justice ang maghi-hearing,&quot; he said.</p><p>The Blue Ribbon panel is helmed by Sen. Pia Cayetano, while the Senate justice panel is chaired by Sen. Koko Pimentel.</p><p>Escudero said that while Sen. Risa Hontiveros&#x27; suggestion to assign the investigation to the Senate committee of the whole was still an option, most senators were not inclined to go that direction.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/14/-a-blessing-de-lima-says-uniteam-split-emboldened-drug-war-confessions-904">• &#x27;A blessing&#x27;: De Lima says UniTeam split emboldened drug war confessions</a></div><p>&quot;Option pa rin sya, pero ang tila direksyon base sa pakikipag-usap ko sa iba&#x27;t ibang myembre ng Senado ay papunta sa [2 committees],&quot; he said.</p><p>Escudero said he would meet with Dela Rosa, Go, and other senators over the weekend to finalize the matter.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/14/bong-go-defends-duterte-after-garma-expos-but-distances-self-from-drug-war-830">• Bong Go defends Duterte after Garma exposé but distances self from drug war</a></div><p>In a separate statement, Escudero said he will consult with his colleagues to ensure that the probe is fair and impartial.</p><p>“Kokunsultahin ko ang ibang mga miyembro pero nakausap ko na si Senator Bato kaugnay n’yan at sinabi ko sa kanya na anumang imbestigasyon na nais niya patungkol sa kanya mismo at kay Senator Go ay mas maganda siguro kung hindi sila ang manguna sa komiteng iyon para walang alegasyon na ito ay personal at hindi impartial, hindi fair,” he said.</p><p>Escudero also said he would prefer that the hearing starts during the break so the Senate can focus on the 2025 national budget once the session resumes.</p><p>While &quot;official&quot; government data said 6,181 people were killed in Duterte&#x27;s war on drugs, several rights group believed up to 30,000 may have been killed, some innocent victims, and that corruption was allegedly rife among security forces that acted with impunity.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fyCp8i9h0SU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>Senate President Francis Escudero said he prefered to launch the Senate's own drug war probe as early as next week or before Congress resumes its sessions in November.</p>

Senate President Francis Escudero said he prefered to launch the Senate's own drug war probe as early as next week or before Congress resumes its sessions in November.

Escudero eyes launch of Senate drug war probe next week, likely under Cayetano-led panel

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Escudero eyes launch of Senate drug war probe next week, likely under Cayetano-led panel

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 18, 2024 08:53 AM PHT

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Updated Oct 18, 2024 07:49 PM PHT

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Senate

senator

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Chiz Escudero

Pia Cayetano

Bato

Bato dela Rosa

war on drugs

Bong Go

Rodrigo Duterte

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