THE House Quad Comm on Thursday doubled down on its commitment to uncovering the truth and delivering justice during its year-end hearing on the illegal drug trade and extrajudicial killings (EJKs) associated with the Duterte administration’s brutal war on drugs.
“Wala pong sisinuhin ang Quad Comm. There will be no sacred cows. We will leave no stone unturned in the search for truth, justice, and accountability,” Quad Comm lead chair Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte declared during the 13th hearing of the mega-panel.
Barbers, who also chairs the committee on dangerous drugs, underscored the inseparable link between the drug war and EJKs.
“It was as if the war on drugs cannot be implemented without killing thousands of people,” he said, describing a chilling pattern of systemic violence and corruption exposed over the course of 12 prior hearings.
Barbers detailed testimonies that implicated high-ranking officials, including former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in enforcing a “reward system” for killing drug suspects.
Rewards ranged from PHP20,000 to PHP1 million, as testified by former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma and corroborated by former National Police Commission Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo.
Barbers noted that Duterte himself admitted during his testimony that police were instructed to fabricate scenarios of resistance to justify killings.
“Kanyang inamin na inutusan niya ang mga kapulisan na patayin ang mga drug personalities, bagama’t sinabi niya na dapat ito ay manlaban, na kung hindi naman manlalaban ay dapat piliting manlaban upang ma-justify ang pagpatay sa mga ito,” Barbers said.
Barbers further noted that Duterte acknowledged the existence of secret bank accounts linked to him and his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, though he later retracted his agreement to waive confidentiality.
The hearings also revealed damning accusations against other prominent figures.
Suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa accused former Philippine National Police chief-turned-senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa of involvement in the killing of his father, Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa.
He also alleged that Dela Rosa played a role in framing former Sen. Leila de Lima, leading to her seven-year imprisonment without solid evidence.
Barbers recounted how former Customs personnel Jimmy Guban, businessman Mark Taguba and dismissed police colonel Eduardo Acierto accused figures such as Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, Vice President Duterte’s husband Manases “Mans” Carpio, and former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang of links to large-scale smuggling operations.
The committee uncovered the ties between illegal POGOs and the drug trade, implicating former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo, a Chinese national and major POGO operator.
Guo was found to have laundered drug money through corporations linked to suspected drug lords Michael Yang and Lin Weixiong, also known as Alan Lim.
Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque was also implicated for lobbying with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. on behalf of POGO operator Lucky South 99 in Porac, Pampanga.
Records further revealed Roque’s unexplained surge in declared assets, which he failed to adequately address.
Barbers announced that the committee’s findings have led to the drafting of key legislative measures to close legal loopholes and hold perpetrators accountable.
These include harsher penalties for extrajudicial killings, confiscation of properties tied to fraudulent documents, and granting government agencies greater authority to cancel fictitious corporate registrations.
Barbers also called out efforts to discredit the Quad Comm’s work.
“Maraming bayarang trolls at kritiko na wala namang naintindihan sa usapin o sadyang ayaw umintindi,” he said. “But the truth will prevail.”
In closing, Barbers expressed gratitude to the public for their trust and support, emphasizing that these have empowered the committee to face every challenge, uncover the truth, and deliver justice.
“Dahil sa inyong kooperasyon, suporta, paniniwala at pagtitiwala, ang Quad Comm ay matagumpay na humaharap sa lahat ng pagsubok upang mabatid ang katotohanan at mabigyan ng katarungan at kasagutan ang ating mga hinaing, tungo sa tunay na kapayapaan,” Barbers said.
