The political party PDP Laban, led by former President Rodrigo Duterte, has strongly criticized the recommendation made by the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) to file charges against Duterte and other officials over the controversial “war on drugs” during his presidency. The party called the recommendation politically motivated, claiming there was no solid legal proof or evidence to support the charges.
PDP Laban, which was Duterte’s political party, released a statement on Thursday, saying that the recommendation to charge Duterte, along with Senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go, was unfair and baseless. The party argued that the investigation into the anti-drug campaign was carried out with a clear bias against Duterte and his allies.
The party also claimed that the testimonies given during the QuadComm’s investigations were forced or pressured, with witnesses reportedly threatened with contempt of Congress if they didn’t follow the direction the committee wanted. PDP Laban accused the committee of conducting the inquiry without fairness or proper legal procedures.
Moreover, PDP Laban criticized the committee for its biased approach, which they believe also carried over to another investigation about Vice President Sara Duterte. This investigation, by the House’s good government and public accountability committee, focused on the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, amounting to more than P600 million. The party suggested these investigations were part of a strategy to attack Duterte and his supporters in preparation for the 2025 elections.
Despite these investigations, PDP Laban defended Duterte’s “war on drugs,” saying that no amount of political attacks could erase his administration’s record on fighting crime.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. responded to the situation in a separate interview, stating that it was the Department of Justice (DOJ) that would decide whether the recommendations from the QuadComm would lead to criminal charges. He said the QuadComm had done its job by making the recommendation, and now the DOJ would review it to see if charges were appropriate.
Records from the police report 6,200 deaths from the drug war, but human rights groups claim the number is closer to 30,000. This difference in numbers has been a major point of controversy in discussions about the drug war’s impact.
