01:15.9
Magandang gabi sir and thank you for joining us dito po sa Facts First.
01:19.7
Magandang gabi Christian. Magandang pangyayari sa lahat ng ating mga takapanood.
01:23.3
Thank you so much for inviting me.
01:26.4
Okay. Unang-una, pag-uusapan natin ito, no? Sino po ba yung nag-cause? Sino yung nag-initiate?
01:39.4
Sino po ba yung nag-initiate nitong investigation na ito?
01:42.2
Ang nag-initiate yung resolution ni Congressman Manuel at ng Makabayan Black about asking Congress to investigate on the EJK.
01:56.4
So dumating ito sa aking committee. So we cannot do anything but actually discuss it and give a chance to investigate the incident.
02:12.6
Kaya kailan po i-final yung resolution at kailan po dumating sa inyong committee?
02:15.8
I think the resolution was filed about two months ago.
02:22.5
And then it was, of course...
02:26.4
It will go to the...
02:29.0
It always go to the Committee on Rules.
02:33.2
And then afterwards, the Committee on Rules, ang malalagay niya sa tamang committee.
02:37.7
So it actually fell in my own committee, the Committee on Human Rights.
02:44.1
So because we cannot actually investigate that immediately, meron tayong five-day rule.
02:53.1
Kaya ang ginawa natin ng isang araw,
02:56.4
we held a briefing with the lawyers and the civil organizations that are actually filing it.
03:05.3
Marami rin po nagtatanong, no? Bakit ngayon lang sa...
03:15.5
...sabigat nitong initiatives?
03:19.1
That's always the question.
03:22.2
I think it's my first time we're going to investigate it in my committee.
03:26.4
So ginawa natin yan because of the resolution.
03:29.6
We could have done a motto-proprio investigation, yet I didn't do it.
03:33.9
So nagkaroon ng resolution two months ago at binigay sa aking committee, so yun na natin, we schedule it to be investigated.
03:47.6
Nabanggit niya po yung option ng motto-proprio investigation dun po sa mga viewers natin, ibig sabihin hindi kailangan ng resolution, the committee itself could initiate it.
03:56.4
Ano po yung dahilan? Bakit hindi nyo naman ginamit yung option na iyon, yung motto-proprio?
04:01.8
Well, ang iniisip ko eh siguro, it happened a long time ago, so hindi siguro kinakailangan pang on my own to investigate that.
04:14.8
Unless otherwise, there's a proper complaint.
04:16.8
So nagkaroon ng proper resolution on that and yung mga naging biktima ng EJK crying for justice.
04:26.4
Ay lumapit doon sa NUPL, for example, like Aton Neri Fluminares and the rest of them.
04:36.7
So it fell on my lap.
04:40.8
So sabi ko nga, okay, sige, let's have a briefing first.
04:44.2
So nagkaroon kami ng briefing.
04:49.8
Yung itong pag-iimbestiga ng committee nyo, ito po ay nakaschedule on May 22, tama po ba?
04:56.4
Yes, yes. Next week.
05:00.6
That's the last week of the Congress session.
05:07.1
Bago kayo mag-break, tapos ang balik nyo na po ay doon sa State of the Nation address, no?
05:14.4
Okay. How do you address yung observations po na baka malabong nangyari itong investigation na ito or malabong mangyari kung iba pa rin yung political climate?
05:26.4
Kasi ngayon, di ba, nakikita natin nagigirihan yung mga Duterte at saka si Pangulong Marcos.
05:31.5
Yan po yung current context na hindi naman natin ma-deny, di ba?
05:35.0
So meron bang epekto yun dito sa investigation na ito?
05:40.3
Alam mo, I made it sure sa briefing namin.
05:44.4
I do not want to add any political color on this investigation.
05:52.1
We just would like to focus on the alert.
05:56.5
Human rights violations, no?
06:00.1
In fact, hindi nga namin iimbitahan ng dating Pangulo or even Sen. Batog de la Rosa because of parliamentary courtesy, no?
06:10.9
Being a sitting senator.
06:13.0
So sabi ko, ayaw ko na magkaroon ng political color ito.
06:16.9
So sabi ko, we're just going to focus on human rights violations, di ba?
06:21.7
Sabi po ng mga biktima na walang nangyari ng due process.
06:26.4
Bigla na lang pinatay yung mga bata at things like this.
06:31.7
So let's see what will happen in the investigation.
06:35.0
In fact, next week sa aming hearing, Christian, pinatawag ko lamang I think about three parents na nag-complain about yung mga anak nilang minordi edad ang pinatay ng kapulusan natin.
06:56.4
from your perspective, ayaw niyong lagyan ng political color itong investigation.
07:02.6
Pero hindi ba mahirap iwasan yun?
07:05.5
Kasi this drug war was initiated by a former president na politiko.
07:14.3
Siguro, mahirap iwasan.
07:16.8
Pero we have to really do something about it.
07:22.1
Importante na that the Committee on Human Rights should actually investigate.
07:26.4
Kapag magiging hindi ko pwedeng baliwalain ang resolution na ito na nagkaroon ng complaint, hindi pwedeng baliwalain yan.
07:44.8
So kung gusto nilang bigyan ng political color yan, it's up to them.
07:48.2
But I'm going to do my best to really assure our public that the investigation,
07:56.4
will be impartial, will be fair, and respectful.
08:04.4
Yun ang dapat natin gawin ngayon.
08:06.3
In all efforts to obtain information and to hear all sides regarding the issue.
08:14.3
So ang purpose ng proceeding na ito is to conduct a thorough inquiry into this alleged EJ case.
08:26.4
Hinga pala sir, how can you credibly investigate, sabi niyo, thorough investigation of alleged human rights violations under the Duterte drug war?
08:36.7
How can you do that kung hindi iimbitahin sa investigation niyo or sa inquiry niyo, yung mismo arkitekto na nagpatupad nito, who was President Rodrigo Duterte?
08:46.5
Well actually, kung kahit na po siya nag-arkitekto, hindi naman siya talaga nagpapatay.
08:52.6
Hindi naman talaga siya pupatay.
08:54.5
Ibig sabihin niya.
08:55.3
So, ang gagawin na,
08:56.4
papatawag namin yung mga kapulisan natin na talagang involved dito.
09:02.1
For example, like the former Director General Albayade,
09:06.0
to shed light on this,
09:07.2
the NCRPO head at that time,
09:11.7
at yung sino pa mga personality like the PIDEA.
09:15.0
And in fact, we are also inviting the former Secretary of Justice, Manalo de Guibara,
09:20.6
perhaps meron siyang alam sa mga bagay na ito.
09:24.1
So, I do not think that there is...
09:26.4
there is a need for us to invite the former President.
09:30.6
You know, mga po sa inter-parliamentary courtesy, so naintindihan po natin yun.
09:34.8
Pero sa bigat po nitong issue na pag-uusapan,
09:38.4
hindi ba wise din na at least imbitahan man lang si Sen. Beto de la Rosa
09:41.9
na siya pong unang PNP chief ni President Duterte at pinaka nag-implement itong drug war?
09:48.5
It might be, but you know what, upon actually asking even the members of the committee,
09:56.4
I don't think that any one of them would want to invite the sitting Senator,
10:02.1
being that, you know, yung nga, parliamentary immunity,
10:09.4
parliamentary courtesy nga ang nais nating gawin dito.
10:13.2
But the thing is this, kinakailangan din naman.
10:17.0
Ang tanong eh, why are we conducting an inquiry into the deaths of alleged drug addicts?
10:26.3
Or drug dealers, for example na. Okay?
10:29.4
Now first, nainiwala ako that we must begin with the principle that each life is valuable.
10:38.3
Oo. That each life lost is a profound tragedy.
10:43.1
Whether it be nangyari yan doon sa mga alleged drug pushers or drug dealers.
10:52.3
So, we must point out that those who lost their lives,
10:56.3
like every Filipino, are protected by the rights granted in the Constitution.
11:02.1
The rights of due process to them.
11:08.9
Tama naman po. Yan ang isa sa mga...
11:11.2
That is what human rights is all about, no?
11:15.0
So, can you hear me, sir?
11:18.4
Pero paano kung let's say, paano kung gusto umaten ni Senator Bato de la Rosa,
11:23.1
or even President Rodrigo Duterte?
11:24.7
Remember diba yung former president?
11:26.3
Yan namatay na po si dating Pangulong Noy Noy Aquino.
11:30.3
He appeared sa Senate.
11:32.7
So, technically, wala namang pumipigil eh sa former president.
11:36.5
At saka technically, wala rin namang pumipigil as a rule
11:39.6
from any, sa isang miyembro ng kapulungan para umaten doon sa hearing na isa.
11:46.5
But, what if they want to attend?
11:49.8
Well, if they would like to attend, why not?
11:51.7
Maybe so much the better.
11:53.6
So, baka, baka...
11:56.3
Kung silang naisabihin na it will be, it will be clear to the people, no, it's up to them.
12:04.9
But, sa kami, you would like to accord them, courtesy for them not to attend.
12:17.2
Ano po pala yung ano, yung inaasahan, pwedeng maaasahan ng publiko dito sa inyong gagawin, pagdinig?
12:23.4
Ilang mga pagdinig yung nakalatag, for instance?
12:25.6
Ano po yung target na or objective na ma-achieve after these hearings?
12:32.8
Hindi ko alam kung gano'ng kahaba ito, Christian, no.
12:35.4
But, nilimit namin ito sa mga minority edad, no.
12:40.7
I think about only tatlong pamilya lang, no, na ang talagang napatay ay minors.
12:47.4
To namin nilimit ito.
12:49.6
I do not want na dadami ito, no.
12:52.4
In fact, siyempre, natatakot din silang...
12:55.6
Pero, sinabi ko naman na we will guarantee their safety.
13:01.2
So, ito naman mga taong ito, siyempre, nakikita ko din naman na kahit sa mga magulang,
13:08.7
particularly ang mga nanay, no, kahit, for example, like mali ang kanilang mga anak,
13:12.9
sapagkat pinataya na walang due process, eh hindi madali tanggapin yan, no.
13:16.7
And they're crying for justice.
13:18.7
There's remorse, actually.
13:20.5
At hindi pwedeng mawala yan sa kanila, whether it be nangyari yan,
13:25.6
one month ago, or six months ago, or two years ago,
13:29.0
hindi nawawala yung remorse.
13:30.8
Hindi nawawala yung kanilang nais na...
13:35.1
Now, we're crying for justice on this.
13:37.5
Ibig sabihin, okay, for example, like talagang ito, mga drug dealers ito, mga drug pusher ito,
13:42.9
yet, yet, justice must be done.
13:48.8
Because every person has been guaranteed in the Constitution na magkaroon ng due process.
13:55.6
Now, of course...
13:59.6
Kaya pala, Congressman, bakit pala, hindi mo mas maganda kung...
14:03.3
Okay, go ahead, sir.
14:04.1
Ma-re-inspect ng mga tao dito is that because it is in aid of legislation,
14:10.9
eh, we would like to find out kung yung sa batas natin may enough precaution or enough measure
14:21.6
in which it will be guaranteed that due process will be done, no?
14:25.6
So, we would like to craft new legislations of that, if ever.
14:33.6
And then, Congressman, hindi ba mas maganda kung ginawa rin yung investigation na ito under the previous administration?
14:41.3
Although I know how difficult it could have been, no?
14:44.3
Kasi, siyempre, napapaisip din kami, tsaka yung publiko,
14:47.8
hindi ba dapat doon paginawa ito at sana naging ganun din kabukal yung mga kongresista, for instance?
14:53.3
Ano pong sagot nyo, Rod?
14:55.6
Hindi pa naman ako ang chairman of the Committee on Human Rights at that time,
14:59.2
in the previous administration, no?
15:01.2
So, in a way, hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi nipisigahan niya.
15:07.2
Perhaps, magiging kita ko naman, alam mo naman ang kongreso, eh.
15:11.5
Whoever is the president, the congress actually support that.
15:19.4
So, ngayon lang at ikaw na nagpagkakataon, in the present administration,
15:25.6
It has become open and the Maccabayan Bloc decided to actually investigate.
15:36.9
May basbas din po ba ni Speaker Martin Romualdez itong investigation na ito?
15:43.7
In a way, hindi naman nila ako pinigilan.
15:46.0
Hindi nila nila ako pinigilan.
15:47.9
Hindi nila pinigilan yung Maccabayan Bloc on this.
15:50.5
Kinausap ako ni Congressman Manuel,
15:54.5
ni Congresswoman Rosas and in-open naman ito.
16:00.1
In-open naman ito nila and the leadership did not in any way try to stop me in investigating this.
16:08.7
Alam naman nila yan because we told this to the majority floor leader.
16:15.7
Alam niya yan because before any investigation can be conducted by any committee,
16:24.5
May susugyan ng leadership.
16:26.8
Hindi naman nila ako pinigilan.
16:32.0
Kaya ako po tinanong yan para maintindihan din ang ating mga viewers at listeners
16:35.7
yung dynamics within the House of Representatives, syempre.
16:39.8
Nabanggit nyo, ang tutok nitong investigation nyo,
16:42.1
yung mga minors na napatay doon sa Draguar,
16:45.6
ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
16:47.9
Bakit po minors lang?
16:49.4
Kasi doon sa official figures ng Philippine National Police,
16:53.0
until they were making the statement,
16:54.4
making the decount public,
16:57.2
at least 6,200 yung napatay daw
16:59.6
sa legitimate anti-drug operations ng polis
17:02.5
dahil lahat daw po ito ng laban.
17:04.5
Syempre, ang estimate naman ng mga human rights groups and advocates,
17:08.3
quadruple or even five times yung dami.
17:12.0
Bakit po ito tutok lang kaysaan sa mga minors?
17:15.1
Actually, meron kaming inimpitahan na senior researcher ng UP on that.
17:23.5
Who is actually gathering data on the count of human rights violations.
17:32.5
Kaya yun namang sinabi sa amin ng NUPL,
17:36.4
are right now, yung mga talagang nag-complain.
17:40.2
So sabi ko, okay, let us just limit this to the people that have actively complained about this
17:47.1
and they're still looking for justice now.
17:48.6
So meron na talagang mga three or four families na,
17:53.5
na makabayang black actually told me that they're going to invite for that.
18:01.2
Of course, pinilawarag nyo na po ito kanina.
18:03.8
Itong gagawin yung inquiry will be in aid of legislation.
18:06.4
Doon po sa mga viewers natin, yung po importanteng konteksto niyan.
18:09.6
Hindi po ito prosecution.
18:11.4
This is in aid of legislation.
18:14.1
Pero, syempre, nothing would stop you, your committee,
18:17.7
from recommending charges from people.
18:19.7
Doon sa mga appropriate agencies.
18:21.7
But that also be included.
18:26.9
Yeah, I mean, sa investigation na ito, we're not gonna pass judgment.
18:32.5
Or, we're not going to actually mag-deliver kami ng capability sa mga taong kumuha nito.
18:48.0
Because that is the duty of the courts.
18:50.5
Our duty bilang congressman is to be able to find out,
18:53.2
Talaga ba mayroon yung process dito?
18:55.7
Talaga bang we followed the constitution?
19:00.4
We followed the law concerning this?
19:02.6
Yun lamang talaga ang limit na sinabi ko talaga sa kanila.
19:06.5
I'm not going to allow this.
19:09.1
Para bang maging malakihan ito at maging issue ito all together.
19:13.9
We would like to just go within the parameters of the complaints that were handed down to us.
19:23.2
Ito rin pala ng congressman, kasi alam natin na isa sa mga issues na tinututukan ngayon ay yung possibility na maglabas ng arrest warrant ng ICC against President Rodrigo Duterte and those behind the implementation of the drug war, yung mga high level.
19:42.6
Baka ang tingin ng iba rito, baka naman nagkukondakay ng investigation, part of the reason is to show the ICC na tumatakbo yung justice system natin dito.
19:51.9
mababigayin sa consideration?
19:55.5
Well, in fact, in our briefing, tinanong ko yan.
19:58.7
Sabi ko, ilan ba ang complaint ninyo sa ICC?
20:03.4
Sabi nila, isa lang.
20:04.8
Even though the ICC
20:06.4
nagkukontak na investigation at meron silang data na napakarami yan,
20:15.0
we are just going to talk about this
20:16.8
sa local way natin dito.
20:21.7
We're not going to talk about this.
20:21.9
We're not going to include the ICC anymore.
20:23.7
The fact that only one complaint has been
20:26.6
given to the ICC.
20:31.6
hindi na kailangan pang include
20:39.6
Hindi, inisip ko rito, Congressman,
20:41.6
baka naman gustong palabas
20:43.8
yun itong investigation.
20:45.0
Tumatakbo naman yung investigation dito.
20:49.5
Binubusisingan namin yung drug war.
20:51.9
Anong-anong sagot niyo, Paul?
20:57.3
pwede natin gawin yan.
20:60.0
bago natin ininvestigahan ito,
21:02.2
alam natin na ICC,
21:04.1
binubusisi na yan.
21:06.3
binubusisi pa yan.
21:08.1
Pero I'm not going to let my committee
21:10.1
be used by the ICC
21:14.5
proven investigation.
21:18.0
Kasi sinabi ko na ito na
21:21.7
the fact that you only
21:22.7
file one complaint
21:27.1
we will not even include that.
21:29.7
This will be more local.
21:37.2
Maraming maraming salamat po, Congressman Benny Abante
21:39.9
for joining us tonight.
21:42.6
And tututukan po natin
21:44.0
namin yung gagawin
21:45.7
yung investigation.
21:47.0
And we hope really that
21:49.3
something substantial would come out.
21:51.7
Abangan namin yung committee report.
21:53.6
Maraming salamat, sir.
21:55.8
Salamat, Christian.
21:56.8
Salamat sa inyo lahat.
22:09.4
na kausap po natin
22:17.8
internet connection natin.
22:19.2
May kasalanan po Sky Cable
22:20.8
because they're on the phone.
22:21.7
They're undergoing
22:22.0
yung system that is
22:25.1
undergoing maintenance
22:26.9
kung nasaan po tayo.
22:28.0
Kaya ang sama po ng signal.
22:29.6
So again, maraming salamat
22:32.9
internet connection.
22:35.2
Ang ganda-ganda pa naman sana
22:36.1
ng topic na pinag-uusapan natin.
22:39.3
maraming maraming salamat po
22:41.0
Ang kita-kita po tayo
22:41.9
sa susunod na episode
22:43.1
ng ating Facts First
22:45.2
Magandang gabi po.
22:51.7
Thank you for watching!
