Former Senator Leila De Lima attends the  resumption of the House Quad Committee hearing on the alleged  extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

QUAD-COMM-HEARING

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/172958372639720241022-leila-de-lima-quadcom-MT1.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Former Senator Leila De Lima attends the resumption of the House Quad Committee hearing on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Former Senator Leila De Lima attends the resumption of the House Quad Committee hearing on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em><br/></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATE</strong>) — Former Sen. Leila de Lima on Tuesday shared to the House Quad Committee the history of the so-called &quot;Duterte Death Squad,&quot; the alleged vigilante group that originated from Davao and was eventually mobilized by former President Rodrigo Duterte to the whole country.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/14/de-lima-inclined-to-sue-dela-rosa-over-drug-trade-frame-up-1124">READ: De Lima &#x27;inclined&#x27; to sue Dela Rosa over alleged drug trade frame-up</a></div><p>De Lima was the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) from 2008 to 2010 when it investigated the &quot;DDS.&quot;</p><p>&quot;According to a witness in the 2009 CHR investigation, during the first period of the DDS from 1988 to 2000, the assassins were paid P15,000 for every victim. P5,000 goes to the police handler, and P10,000 to the assassins, who at that time consisted of rebel returnees,&quot; De Lima told the panel.</p><p>She said that in some instances, Duterte himself would give out the reward money to the assassins. </p><p>&quot;After the summary execution of targeted victims, the DDS members would regroup at their safehouse and divide their reward. During that time, MRRD (then mayor Duterte) would sometimes personally give out the kill orders and the reward money directly to the assassins themselves&quot; she said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/14/-a-blessing-de-lima-says-uniteam-split-emboldened-drug-war-confessions-904">READ: De Lima says UniTeam split emboldened drug war confessions</a></div><p>The DDS took a back seat from 1998 to 2001 when Duterte served as House representative after meeting the term limit for mayor. </p><p>In 2001, when Duterte returned as Davao City Mayor, the DDS reward system expanded to include civilian &quot;abanteros&quot; or informants, according to De Lima. She said each team reportedly received P13,000 to P15,000.</p><p>&quot;P3,000 to P5,000 goes to the PNP handler. P7,000 to P8,000 was shared among the rebel returnees and P500 to P1,000 to civilian informants… A team of one PNP handler and three civilian abanteros was given an average of three targets every month,&quot; De Lima told the Quad Comm.</p><p>She said the CHR&#x27;s findings on the supposed cash-for-kill system were confirmed by the affidavit of former DDS hitman Arturo Lascañas in an affidavit submitted to the International Criminal Court. It also disclosed the alleged source of funding for the system, according to De Lima.</p><p>&quot;According to Lascañas&#x27;s ICC Affidavit, during the period 1988-1998 when the DDS was constituted as the Anti-Crime Task Force of MRRD, DDS members were paid anywhere from P10,000 to P20,000 for every victim. This was the reward for ordinary victims,&quot; De Lima said.</p><p>&quot;Pag matataas naman, the so-called &#x27;special project&#x27; killings, they were rewarded anywhere from P100,000 to P1 million, depending on the status of the target. Civilian hitmen called &#x27;force multipliers&#x27; were given P3,000 to P5,000 per victim as their share in this reward,&quot; she added.</p><p>&quot;The DDS logistics and finances came from the &#x27;Peace and Order&#x27; or &#x27;Intel Fund&#x27; of MRRD. This includes weekly gas allowance, monthly cash allowance, and Christmas cash gifts,&quot; De Lima noted.</p><p>&quot;That must be the Davao model na binanggit ni Col. Garma,&quot; she said, adding that the &quot;nanlaban&quot; concept originated from the Davao Death Squad.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/11/garma-says-duterte-tapped-davao-model-on-killing-drug-suspects-2122">READ: Garma says Duterte tapped &#x27;Davao Model&#x27; on killing drug suspects</a></div><p>Former police officer Royina Garma previously told the Quad Comm regarding the assembly of a national task force patterned after the &quot;Davao model&quot;, which provided police with financial rewards for killing drug suspects, funding for planned operations, and reimbursement for operational expenses. Duterte has denied the existence of the cash &quot;reward system&quot; for cops who killed drug suspects in his administration&#x27;s war on drugs.</p><p>&quot;Posible po ba na ang ginamit din doon naman sa nationwide na war on drugs ay ang intelligence funds, pero this time, ang intelligence funds ng Office of the President?&quot; Kabataan Party List Representative Raoul Manuel asked.&quot;Possible din na gumamit ulit ng intel funds. This time, from the Office of the President,&quot; De Lima replied.</p><div><strong>ESPENIDO&#x27;S RETRACTION</strong></div><div><strong><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/0JngDp5VMeE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong>In Tuesday&#x27;s Quad Comm hearing, De Lima again met face-to-face with his previous accuser and the so-called poster boy of the Duterte administration&#x27;s war on drugs, Retired Police Colonel Jovie Espenido.</div><p>&quot;Sana ngayon Col. Espenido sabihin niyo na rin ang katotohanan. I-corroborate n&#x27;yo ang sinabi ni Kerwin na si then PNP Chief Dela Rosa… ang involved or responsible for ordering the three of you to fabricate accusations against me,&quot; De Lima told him.</p><p>Espenido confirmed the testimony of Kerwin Espinosa that they were instructed to talk with each other to ensure that their allegations against De Lima in 2016 would be consistent. Similar to Espinosa, Espenido retracted his 2016 testimony before the Senate, which implicated De Lima in the illegal drug trade in the National Bilibid Prison, and led to her nearly seven-year incarceration.</p><p>&quot;There is also a testimony coming from Kerwin Espinosa that you and him were instructed to talk with each other to make sure that your testimonies against Sen. De Lima is consistent. Do you confirm this?&quot; Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro asked.</p><p>&quot;I confirm,&quot; Espenido replied.</p><p>&quot;With your answers to my questions, Col. Espenido, this afternoon. Are you retracting all the testimonies that you gave against Sen. De Lima during that Senate investigation?&quot; Luistro inquired further.</p><p>&quot;Yes, your honor,&quot; Espenido answered.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/22/espenido-retracts-allegations-vs-de-lima-2003">FULL STORY: Jovie Espenido retracts allegations vs. De Lima</a></div><div><strong>ICC</strong></div><p>While the Philippines is no longer a member of the International Criminal Court, de Lima said the country has an existing law allowing Philippine authorities to give way to investigations conducted by an appropriate international court for crimes against humanity including extrajudicial killings.</p><p>She said the country may surrender or extradite accused persons to the said court, but that decision is discretionary on Philippine authorities.</p><p>&quot;Hindi pa tayo miyembro ng ICC, mayroon na tayong general na pahintulot sa anumang international body na tugisin at litisin ang mga Pilipino na magiging kasabwat sa mga tinatawag na crimes against humanity katulad ng malawakang EJK sa ilalim ng drug war… The authorities may surrender or extradite suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to the appropriate international court,&quot; De Lima said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><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/2JH2l8hCk64?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Ex-Sen. Leila de Lima was the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) from 2008 to 2010 when it investigated the "DDS."</p>

Ex-Sen. Leila de Lima was the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) from 2008 to 2010 when it investigated the "DDS."

De Lima shares 'history' of Duterte Death Squad | ABS-CBN

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De Lima shares 'history' of Duterte Death Squad

De Lima shares 'history' of Duterte Death Squad

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 22, 2024 02:07 PM PHT

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Updated Oct 23, 2024 01:03 AM PHT

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