House Lawmakers Must Resume Quad Committee Probe
MANILA, Philippines — Leaders from the previous Congress urge House lawmakers to continue the quad committee investigations in the 20th Congress. The unresolved probe into drug-related killings, Chinese-linked syndicates, and government corruption must move forward, they emphasized.
Members of the quad committee said their work was abruptly halted by political interference, threats against witnesses, and what they described as an orchestrated attempt to suppress the truth. This stalled inquiry leaves many questions unanswered.
“We cannot just move on. What we uncovered in those hearings was not fiction, not rumor, but fragments of a frightening reality,” said reelected Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., who chaired the Human Rights panel during the 19th Congress.
“Quad Comm 2.0 now becomes a necessity. We firmly believe that justice does not expire and must continue in the 20th Congress. The people have a right to know who benefited from silence and who paid the price for speaking out,” Abante added, underscoring the urgency of the ongoing probe.
Calls for Political Courage to Continue Investigation
Abante described the push to reestablish the quad committee as a “test of political courage.” The stakes remain high, with witnesses reportedly threatened and patterns of abuse pointing to state actors.
“There were witnesses who were threatened. There were patterns of abuse that pointed to state actors. There were billions of pesos in questionable transactions. Hindi pa ito tapos. Quad Comm 2.0 must finish the job,” said former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, who previously led the panel on dangerous drugs.
Other former lawmakers, including Sta. Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V, and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, also called for the continuation of the probe. Ortega and Adiong initially voiced their support, with Abante, Barbers, and Fernandez backing their stance.
As the 20th Congress unfolds, the demand for transparency and justice through the quad committee investigation remains strong. The public deserves to know the full truth behind these serious allegations.
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