Dennis Gaviola

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Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — After 15 hearings, the House Quad Committee has terminated its months-long investigation on extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs, and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) af on Monday.   The mega panel began its inquiry in aid of legislation in Pampanga last August 2024.Quad Comm Lead Chairperson and Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers hinted at the possibility of a second iteration of the mega panel in the 20th Congress, while pushing for justice and accountability.&quot;Maaring ito na nga ang huling pagdinig ng Quad Comm sa panahong ito. Subalit ang paghahanap ng katarungan ay magpapatuloy. Kung hindi man nabigyan ng pansin ang iba pang mga bagay-bagay dahil sa kakulangan ng panahon, huwag po kayo mawalan ng tiwala at pag-asa, hindi po manhid o natutulog ang inyong mga kinatawan sa kongresong ito,&quot; Barbers said in his closing statement. &quot;Kaya sa mga natutuwa sa pag-aakalang nakalusot sila sa imbestigasyon. Paumanhin po dahil malaki ang posibilidad na magkakaroon muli ng Quad Comm sa darating na kongreso. Ito ang Quad Comm 2.0,&quot; he added.The lawmaker said the mega panel uncovered evidence that proved foreign criminal syndicates used POGOs to manipulate, bribe and circumvent Philippine laws with the help of locals.&quot;Sana sa mga natuklasan ng Quad Comm ay may managot upang hindi na sila matularan pa. Sana ang mga kinauukulan ay makonsensya at panagutin ang mga naglapastangan sa bayan,&quot; Barbers said. House Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio &quot;Dong&quot; Gonzales Jr. looked back on the time he authored and sponsored the mega panel last year.&quot;Ang aking iniisip hindi titigil ang Quad Comm. Dahil apoy na sinindihan ng Quad Comm ay hindi kailanman mamamatay. Ang kongreso ay mananatiling kasing tapang, kasing tibay, kasing totoo. At may mga tanong na hindi nasasagot, habang may mga isyung tinatakpan, habang may Pilipinong naghahangad ng hustisya, andiyan ang Quad Comm,&quot; he said.Quad Comm Co-Chairperson Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante echoed the sentiment of Barbers, calling for the 20th Congress to continue what they have started.&quot;It is the tenacity of the Quad Comm, our refusal to turn a blind eye to injustice, our steadfast commitment to the truth, that brought us here. We were not deterred by threats, we were not discouraged by lies,&quot; he said. &quot;The torch is now in your hands. May you be as tenacious as those who came before you. May you never tire of seeking truth, serving the people, and fighting for what is right,&quot; Abante told the next batch of lawmakers.Quad Comm Chairperson Santa Rosa Rep. Dan Fernandez stood by the work of the mega panel and his participation in exposing the reality of POGOs.  &quot;Tinanggap natin sila noon – siguro dahil umaasa tayong may mabuting maidudulot ito. Na baka, kahit papaano, ay mapabuti ang ating kabuhayan. Pero ang nangyari, inabuso tayo. Ginamit ang ating kabaitan. Ginamit ang ating batas. At higit sa lahat, ipinasok dito sa ating bayan ang katiwalian, ang karahasan at ang kasamaan,&quot; he said.&quot;Ang pinag-uusapan po natin dito ay hindi simpleng kalimot. Ang pinag-uusapan po natin ay money laundering. Human trafficking. Obstruction of justice. Hindi biro ito. Hindi ito dapat balewalain,&quot; Fernandez added. Quad Comm Co-Chairperson Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano meanwhile believes the mega panel&#x27;s investigation has &#x27;reignited public interest in nation-building.&#x27;&quot;We know they listened attentively to the discussions and debates, often staying up until midnight, and sometimes even later, just to bear witness to the unfolding of events in these investigations,&quot; he said.<div>CONTEMPT ORDERS LIFTED</div>The mega panel approved the motion to lift the contempt orders against former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, his wife Mylah, former Presidential Adviser Michael Yang, Police Col. Hector Grijaldo and Police Master Sergeant Arthur Narsolis.  The panel also approved the motion to lift the detention order against Grijaldo, who has been detained at the House of Representatives since December 2024.Roque was cited in contempt twice by the Quad Comm and has left the country since then. He is currently seeking asylum in The Netherlands, but faces an arrest warrant for qualified human trafficking for his alleged links to raided POGO hub Lucky South 99.His wife Mylah was cited in contempt for snubbing the House panel&#x27;s subpoenas to explain her supposed role in acquiring properties for the POGO.Yang, who was the former economic adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte, has been tagged in illegal drugs and POGO operations.Grijaldo repeatedly ignored subpoenas of the mega panel, while Narsolis was implicated in the killing of three Chinese nationals in the Davao Penal and Prison Farm in 2016.Meantime, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager and retired Police Colonel Royina Garma is still in the United States.DFA Passport Division Assistant Director Charlie Florian Prenicolas said she remains in a U.S. detention facility, according to the Philippine Consulate General in Houston.  &quot;Ms. Garma remains in detention at the South Louisiana Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Center because detainees are unable to receive calls per U.S. regulations,&quot; he said.&quot;Our consulate in Houston has provided its contact information to ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) with the request that this be conveyed to Ms. Garma. The consulate was given the assurance that the contact information of the consulate had been relayed to Ms. Garma,&quot; Prenicolas added. The DFA representative said the consulate has not yet been contacted by Garma.Citing the Philippine Consulate, Prenicolas said Garma was &#x27;issued an expedited removal order upon her arrival in San Francisco&#x27; and is currently under appeal.He added, Garma was scheduled to appear in court last December 2024 in Louisiana.Garma left the country after she accused Duterte of asking her help to implement the &quot;Davao model&quot; for anti-illegal drugs nationwide.  <div>QUAD COMM PLENARY REPORT</div>Following the mega panel&#x27;s approval, Barbers told reporters the committee report is expected to be presented to the plenary on Tuesday.&quot;Hopefully, by tomorrow morning, ma-take up ito sa committee on rules so that ma-i-calendar ito for tomorrow&#x27;s approval in the plenary. But I&#x27;m hoping na may mga wala namang siguro magkikwestiyon or makikipag-debate dun sa provisions ng report na yan,&quot; he said. &quot;At napaka-comprehensive tungkol dun sa usapin ng EJK, drugs, at saka yung public accountability. Although, I can probably say na kailangan pa siguro mas marami pang panahon at mas marami pang hearing sana. Kaya lang, hindi na kinaya. kasi mag-aadjourn na, sine die ang kongreso nito. So hopefully, by the 20th Congress, ipagpatuloy nila,&quot; Barbers added.In the report, the lawmaker said they will be recommending charged against members of the PNP and personalities in government.&quot;Kagaya ng case that was filed against the former president, crimes against humanity, if you remember, ito ay isang provision sa aming report noong December. At saka yung filing of human trafficking cases against government officials, including former spokesman Harry Roque,&quot; he said.&quot;Medyo may mga participation na kaming nakita mula sa mga member ng Philippine National Police, lalo na dun sa usapin ng EJK na kung saan ay yung mga witnesses na aming naimbita ay pinangalanan kung sino yung maaaring nasa likod ng mga pagpaslang o pagpatay sa ibang mga drug suspects. At we cannot really pinpoint kung ilan ito but merong mga miyembro ng PNP,&quot; Barbers said.The lawmaker said they will also recommend the PNP and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conduct deeper investigation especially among their ranks.&quot;Alam mo nakakalungkot, yung mga extrajudicial killings na nangyari walang SOCO reports, walang investigation report. And because of that we will recommend the filing of admin cases afainst those that are commanders, precinct commanders and probably higher officials na responsable under the prinicples of chain of command doon sa nangyaring mga krimen na yun,&quot; Barbers said. Last December 2024, the Quad Comm presented their partial report to the plenary.  The report, which was adopted by the House, included the recommendation of filing of crimes of humanity against former President Duterte.

After 15 hearings, the House Quad Committee has terminated its months-long investigation on extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs, and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) af on Monday.

After 15 hearings, the House Quad Committee has terminated its months-long investigation on extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs, and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) af on Monday.

House Quad Comm terminates months-long probe on killings, drugs, POGOs

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House Quad Comm terminates months-long probe on killings, drugs, POGOs

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 09, 2025 11:42 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

Quad Committee

extrajudicial killings

Illegal Drugs

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators

POGO

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