Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers 鈥擣ILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The House of Representatives quad committee intends to present an initial report on its probe before the Congress goes into recess on December 21, according to聽 Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.
The mega panel is currently investigating illegal drugs and their connection to illicit Philippine offshore gambling operators (Pogos) and extrajudicial killings during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
鈥淭he reason why we will submit this in the plenary progress report is because there are things that must be acted upon immediately,鈥� Barbers said in Filipino in a statement issued on Sunday.
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Among the things that need to be processed are several remedial legislative measures its leaders and members have filed, the lawmaker explained.
鈥淔or example, the proposed legislation that we have finalized, we are hoping that maybe it can be included in the legislative agenda of our president, or if get lucky, the bill would be certified as urgent so our counterpart in the Senate will do the same. So basically, this is the intention of the progress report 鈥� so that we can dispose of it,鈥� Barbers said.
Barbers said the quad comm members have introduced four remedial measures seeking to amend the the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act No. 9165).
He added that the mega panel also proposed a bill 鈥渄efining extrajudicial killing as a heinous crime and imposing the maximum penalty on offenders, and the proposal to create an inter-agency government committee led by the Philippine Statistics Authority that would expedite the administrative cancellation of questionable birth certificates.鈥�
Aside from these, Barbers said the quad comm would recommend the filing of charges against individuals linked to illegal drugs, illicit Pogos, and extrajudicial killing.
Moreover, the mega panel plans to focus its probe on illicit drugs and EJKs, terminating the Pogo-related investigation.
Duterte will no longer invited
Barbers said the committee would no longer invite former President Duterte to its next hearing.
He explained that the previous statements of the former chief executive were already sufficient for their probe.
鈥淭here鈥檚 probably no need because in the previous 12 to 13 hours meeting we already heard what we needed 鈥� a little more of what Duterte revealed or what he admitted in the Senate. So I think that鈥檚 sufficient,鈥� he said.