HATAW! D'yaryo ng Bayan hatawtabloid.com
ni GERRY BALDO
MATAPOS ang pag-ako ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa responsibilidad sa kanyang war on drugs, nanawagan ang isang lider ng Kamara de Representantes na dapat siyang managot sa crimes against humanity.
Ayon kay House Quad Comm co-chair Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante, Jr., sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. (RA) 9851 o ang Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, pasok si Duterte sa elemento ng command responsibility para sa crimes against humanity.
“When a leader knowingly permits the slaughter of civilians under his watch, and when he admits that he bears responsibility, it is an inescapable truth: he is criminally liable,” giit ni Abante.
Sa panig ni House Committee on Public Order and Safety chairperson at Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez kailangan mag-inhibit sina Senator Ronald Dela Rosa at Senator Bong Go sa pagdinig ng Senado upang mapangalagaan ang integridad ng imbestigasyon.
“I am appealing to their sense of delicadeza, since based on the numerous pieces of evidence our Quad Committee has unearthed in its comprehensive inquiry into the anti-drug campaign of the previous administration, they are the principal implementers of the brutal campaign against drugs,” ani Fernandez.
“We believe in the sense of fairness of SP Escudero and Sen. Pimentel and the impartiality of their investigation. However, we believe that the inquiry will be tainted if Senators dela Rosa and Go continue to get themselves involved in it,” dagdag nito.
Si Dela Rosa ang hepe ng Philippine National Police (PNP) nang ipatupad ang Duterte drug war samantala si Go ay iniuugnay sa reward system na binibigyan umano ng pabuya ang mga pulis na nakapatay ng drug suspect/s.
“In those roles, they are directly or indirectly responsible for the tens of thousands of drug suspects and innocent people, including young children, killed in the course of the Duterte administration’s anti-drug war,” giit ni Fernandez.
Sinabi ni Fernandez, hindi magiging patas at unbiased sina Dela Rosa at Go habang pinuri si Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, ang pinuno ng subcommittee ng Senate Blue Ribbon committee sa sinabi nito na susundan ang ebidensiya at pagbibigay ng judicial o public notice sa mga testimonya ng mga testigo at resource person na humarap sa House quad committee.
“These witnesses have tagged Senators dela Rosa and Go as principally responsible for the anti-drug war and the reward system. I am sure that similar accusations will be hurled against them if the Senate invites relevant resource persons,” sabi ng kongresista.
“Where will that put Senators dela Rosa and Go? They will of course become senator-accused or senator-suspects,” dagdag ni Fernandez.
Sa kanyang pagharap sa Senate Blue Ribbon Committee noong Lunes, inako ni Duterte ang legal na pananagutan sa mga ginawa ng mga pulis kaugnay ng kanyang war on drugs na tinatayang 12,000 hanggang 30,000 Filipino ang nasawi.
“This is not a case of semantics or vague responsibility – this is a direct admission from the former President himself. By publicly taking full responsibility for the thousands of extrajudicial killings that plagued our nation during his term, Duterte has admitted to a level of command responsibility that the law considers criminal,” ayon kay Abante, chairman ng House Committee on Human Rights.
Sa ilalim ng Section 10 ng RA 9851 ay nakasaad ang prinsipyo ng command responsibility kung saan pinapanagot ang opisyal sa mga nagawa ng kanyang mga tauhan.
Sinabi ni Abante, pasok ang mga naging pagpatay kaugnay ng drug war sa crime against humanity batay sa RA 9851.
“First, it involved the willful killings affected thousands of civilians. Second, the victims were primarily civilians, suspected by police authorities to be involved in drug-related activities. Third, these killings occurred in a widespread, systematic attack across various cities, municipalities, and provinces throughout the Philippines. And fourth, these killings were executed under a State or organizational policy, namely, the anti-drug campaign of former president, which included a national system of rewards within the police hierarchy,” sabi ng solon.
Sinabi ni Abante, magagamit din ng International Criminal Court (ICC) ang mga naging pahayag ni Duterte sa pagdinig ng Senado, na nanumpang magsasabi nang totoo.
“We have taken one step closer to holding Duterte accountable, but this is not the end. I urge our justice system to respond swiftly, to file charges, to conduct investigations, and to ensure that justice is served. The blood of thousands cries out for justice, and we owe it to every Filipino to answer that call,” anang mambabatas.
“Today, Duterte stands alone as the commander of this campaign of carnage. Let this be a warning to any leader who thinks they can wield power with impunity: the law will catch up with you, and justice will prevail,” dagdag ni Abante.
