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Barbers denies House quad comm will soon target VP Duterte

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Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — House Quad Committee Lead Co-Chair Rep. Robert Ace Barbers denied on Friday that the panel investigating the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s drug war and the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations will soon target Vice President Sara Duterte.Barbers said there are no such talks.“Hindi ‘yan pasok sa mga subject matter na tinatalakay nitong apat na committee na ito,” he told the media.“Wala namang ganoong usapan. Wala namang ganoon… Hindi ko alam kung saan galing ‘yun,” Barbers added.Asked whether there is a possibility to bring up Davao City’s campaign against illegal drugs when Vice President Duterte was still its Mayor, Barbers expressed doubts it will happen.“Sa tingin ko, hindi na siguro matatalakay ‘yan. Unless one of the chairmen will propose that, at pag-uusapan pa namin ‘yan siguro,” Barbers said.  <div>PARTIAL COMMITTEE REPORT</div>The House Quad Committee’s partial committee report on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs is “close to being finalized” and expected to be completed next week, according to Barbers.It will cover the August 2016 killing of three Chinese drug convicts inside the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, and the July 2020 killing of then PCSO official Wesley Barayuga. Barbers, however, has yet to disclose the names of those they will recommend to be prosecuted in the partial committee report.“’Yung partial committee report is the report na gagawin namin na sa aming palagay ay natalakay na ng husto at sufficient na ‘yung mga datos and evidence para mailagay na namin sa committee report, para umaksyon na ‘yung ibang ahensya ng gobyerno- kung DOJ ‘yan o Office of the Ombudsman ‘yan, isa-submit na namin, nang sa ganoon ay mag-umpisa na ang mga preliminary investigation,” the lawmaker said.<div>SENATE PROBE</div>Barbers, meanwhile, welcomed the statement of Senate President Francis Escudero saying he is considering another panel, not led by Senator and former PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa, to conduct a parallel probe into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.The family of drug war victims and some lawmakers raised doubts on the impartiality of a Dela Rosa-led Senate probe. Dela Rosa and his allies, former President Duterte, and Senator Bong Go were implicated in the alleged reward system for cops who killed drug suspects in the last administration, which the two senators denied.“That’s the most logical thing to do. Mahirap naman kasi na imbestigahan mo ang sarili mo sa sarili mong komite, kung ikaw ang inaakusahan. And this goes the same to all others that are being accused. Ano kaya ang magiging resulta ng committee report kapag ganoon?” Barbers said.“We welcome ‘yung proposal na magkaroon ng Senate inquiry para parallel. Hind naman ito bago… Several investigations na ginawa ng House and Senate naging parang practice ito. What is more important sa usapin na ‘yan ay ‘yung punto na kung may bagong witnesses, at magbibigay ng bagong pahayag, well and good ‘yan, kasi naka-align ‘yan sa objectives ng Quad Comm na maglabas talaga ng katotohanan,” he added.The House Quad Comm will resume its probe on Tuesday.

House Quad Committee Lead Co-Chair Rep. Robert Ace Barbers denied on Friday that the panel investigating the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s drug war and the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations will soon target Vice President Sara Duterte.

House Quad Committee Lead Co-Chair Rep. Robert Ace Barbers denied on Friday that the panel investigating the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s drug war and the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations will soon target Vice President Sara Duterte.