DOJ says House quad comm findings a big help to own EJK probe

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DOJ says House quad comm findings a big help to own EJK probe

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

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Coroners pass through crowds as they carry 1 of the 3 bodies of drug pushers killed in a buy bust operation in Pandacan Manila on July 21, 2016. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/FileCoroners pass through crowds as they carry 1 of the 3 bodies of drug pushers killed in a buy bust operation in Pandacan Manila on July 21, 2016. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — The Department of Justice on Friday assured the public of a very thorough and impartial investigation into the previous administration’s bloody war on drugs, where more than 6,000 were acknowledged killed in law enforcement operations.

It also said findings of a House probe will help its own investigation into the alleged extrajudicial killings.

DOJ Undersecretary Jesse Andres made the statement in a televised briefing following the recommendation of the House quad comm — swiftly adopted by the House in plenary — to file Crimes Against Humanity charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte, Sens. Christopher "Bong" Go and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and several others over the killings during Duterte's anti-drug campaign.

“Napakabigat po ng nakaatas na responsibilidad sa Department of Justice dahil po napakalaking mga personalidad ang kailangan naming imbestigahan. Ngunit hindi po matitinag ang Department of Justice at tatayo po kami sa aming tungkulin, kung sino man po ang respondent na inaakusahan,” Andres said.

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(The Department of Justice has been given a heavy responsibility because we have been tasked to investigate very powerful people, but we are not fazed and will do our duty regardless of who the respondents are) 

Andres said that the DOJ will observe due process and ensure the rights of potential respondents. 

“Magsu-subpoena po tayo ng mga tao, hindi po para sila ay i-harass, ngunit para mabigyan sila ng pagkakataon na magbigay ng counter-affidavit nila o kontra-salaysay para itanggi o pasinungalingan iyong mga unang bintang doon sa complaint-affidavit,” he said.

(We will subpoena people, not to harass them, but to give them a chance to submit their counter-affidavit to deny or refute the initial allegations in the complaint-affidavit)

The DOJ during the Duterte administration conducted a review of drug war cases where alleged drug personalities were killed and found lapses in protocol and inconcistencies in police reports

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Few of the cases included in the limited review led to cases being filed in court.

'QUAD COMM FINDINGS A BIG HELP'

Andres said the House quad comm’s preliminary findings will be a big help to its own investigation into the extrajudicial killings under the previous administration’s bloody drug war.

He said the DOJ formed a task force to investigate alleged EJKs even before House lawmakers wrapped up their hearings.

“Ngayon po na natapos na ang quad comm hearings, napakalaking tulong po nito dahil nakita naman po ng publiko ang napakaraming rebelasyon na nangyari po diyan... at marami po tayong nakitang mga ebidensiya na nagpapakita ng mga kinalaman ng mga taong involved dito sa ating imbestigasyon,” he continued.

(Now that the quad comm hearings are done, this will be a very big help because there were a lot of revelations there and we saw a lot of evidence on the participation of the people involved in the investigation) 

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He said the DOJ will build on the quad comm's findings, which, he said, included "self-incriminating admissions" made under oath.

“At dagdag pa po diyan, ang National Bureau of Investigation kasama po ang Philippine National Police ay nakikipagtulungan na po kasalukuyan sa ating Department of Justice para po mapagtibay ang ebidensiya," Andres said.

(The National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police are also working with the DOJ for stronger evidence)

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