Duterte at center of 'grand criminal enterprise', says lawmaker

 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1239884

MANILA – Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop claimed Thursday that former President Rodrigo Duterte appears to be at the "center" of a “grand criminal enterprise” that exploited the Philippines' war on drugs to advance the very problem it sought to eradicate.

During the House Quad Committee (quadcom) hearing, Acop said the previous administration's drug war was purportedly used to protect key figures involved in the illegal drug trade while eliminating competition.

"The quad committee has started to uncover a grand criminal enterprise and it would seem that at the center of it is the former president. Napakasakit po nito dahil tayo pong lahat ay nabudol (This is very painful because we were all deceived)," Acop said as he summarized findings from the 13 hearings that uncovered alleged links between the illegal drug trade, Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and extrajudicial killings during Duterte's term.

Acop cited the testimony of dismissed police colonel Eduardo Acierto, who implicated Duterte and his closest allies, including Senators Bong Go and Ronald dela Rosa, for allegedly protecting the illegal drugs network in the country.

Dela Rosa was the former national police chief and Go served as special assistant during Duterte's presidential term.

"Ang mga [nasa] posisyon noong 2016 hanggang 2022 ay sila mismo ang nagdala at nagpalaganap ng problema ng droga sa Pilipinas (Those in position from 2016 to 2022, they're the ones who brought and spread the drug problem in the Philippines)," Acop said.

"Worse, they served as key figures in ensuring that large volumes of illegal drugs slip right through our borders," Acop added.

Acop lamented the irony of Duterte's campaign promise to eradicate the country’s drug problem, as findings from the quadcom revealed that his administration not only failed to address it but actively perpetuated its proliferation.

"Napakasakit po dahil P. Digong won on the platform of a hardline stance against illegal drugs and criminality. Siya pala ang mukha ng illegal drugs at kriminalidad (This is very painful because President Digong won on the platform of a hardline stance against illegal drugs and criminality, but he turned out to be the face of illegal drugs and criminality)," he said.

Acop further alleged that Duterte's anti-drug campaign was used to enrich a select few at the cost of countless lives.

"Incidentally, these are the people whose hands are on the purse and the sword of the Republic, and they have definitely used it. It is most unfortunate however that the sword was used to slit, stab, and slash the very people it swore to protect—we the people. And the purse was used not to benefit the Republic, but to line the pockets of the few. Nilunod po nila ang bayan natin ng droga at kumita sila dahil dito (They drowned our country in drugs and profited from it)," Acop said.

Acop exposed what he called a "perverse" reward system that fueled the wave of alleged extrajudicial killings tied to Duterte's drug war.

Rewards ranged from PHP20,000 to PHP1 million, as testified by former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Royina Garma and corroborated by former National Police Commission Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo.

“The existence of the rewards system is not denied; in fact, pinagmayabang pa ito ni former president Duterte at ang kanyang mga alipores (former president Duterte and his cohorts even boasted about it)," Acop said.

Acop argued that this system targeted operators local drug manufacturers and distributors, effectively eliminating competition for drug importers.

"Mukhang ang war on drugs was a convenient way to eliminate competition in the drug trade. More specifically, the local manufacturers. Let us remember, ang key feature ng war on drugs ay ang reward system. Every kill is compensated," he said.

Acop highlighted the staggering human toll of Duterte’s campaign, with at least 30,000 killed based on available data.

Many victims’ families were dismissed by Duterte’s administration as “collateral damage", according to Acop.

Acop pledged that the committee would leave “no stone unturned” in its investigation and would push for legislative reforms to ensure such abuses are not repeated. (PNA)

ACOP: "NABUDOL KAMI" DUTERTE ADMIN ISANG GRAND CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE? AYON SA REPORT NG QUADCOMMITTE

Digong, mukha ng illegal drugs at kriminalidad sa bansa-Rep. Acop

Lumalabas na si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang nasa sentro ng “grand criminal enterprise” para maglunsad ng brutal na war on drugs upang kumita mula sa nasabing illegal drugs na kanyang ipinangako noon na kanyang bubuwagin.

Ito ay batay sa preliminary report ng ilang buwan na pagdinig sa Kamara.

Sinabi ni Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, si Duterte ang mukha umano ng illegal drugs at kriminalidad sa bansa.

Ito ay sa kanyang binasa na report sa findings ng House quad committee sa kaugnayan ng nakalipas na administrasyon sa Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), illegal drugs at extrajudicial killings (EJKs).

Sinabi ni Acop na napakasakit ang mga natuklasan ng quad comm dahil sa tila binudol umano ni Duterte ang sambayanan.

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Tinukoy ni Acop ang sinabi ni dating “right hand man” ni Duterte na tumestigo sa isang pagdinig ng quad comm, ang pinatalsik na si narcotic officer Eduardo Acierto na ang dating pangulo ang “lord of all drug lords.”

Ayon kay Acop, mahirap ang trabaho ng quad comm at walang may gusto na kalabanin ang isang sikat na dating pangulo.

Subalit, sinabi niya na tulad ni Duterte, ang mga mambabatas ay inihalal ng mga mamamayan at may responsibilidad sila sa mga ito.

Inilahad ni Acop ang summary ng findings ng quad comm mula sa mga isinagawang pagdinig, mga testimonya at mga dokumento at maraming resource persons kabilang ang mga retired at active duty na mga opisyal ng PNP, mga kamag-anak at supporters ng drug war victims, local at national officials, at maging mismong si Duterte.

Sinabi ni Acop na ganamit ni Duterte at ang kanyang inner circle ang drug war para pagtakpan ang tinatawag na “Davao Mafia” upang kumita sa drug trade at walisin ang mga ka-kompetensiya.

Matatandaan na sa pagharap ni Duterte sa pagdining noong November 13, mariin niyang pinabulaanan ang lahat ng mga nasabing alegasyon subalit, inamin niya na hinikayat niya ang mga pulis na ipatupad ang kanyang drug war sa anomang paraan para labanan ang salot na droga.

Sinabi din ni Duterte na aakuin niya lahat ang mga responsibilidad sa mga nangyari sa ilalim ng drug war.

Batay sa report ng PNP, mahigit 6,000 katao ang pinatay sa panahon ng panunungkulan ni Duterte, subalit naniniwala ang human rights groups na posibleng aabot ito sa 30,000.

Samantala, sinabi ni quad comm chair Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers na itutuloy nila ang pagdinig sa January 2025 at sisimulan na ang legislative measures na kanilang inihain bilang bahagi ng output ng komite, kabilang ang panukala na magpapataw ng parusa sa EJKs.

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