MPs: Duterte family need not fear investigation into drug war and POGO crimes

The four House committees investigating drug war-related deaths, crimes related to illegal drugs and Philippine Offshore Gambling Operators (POGO) denied on Monday that the investigation was a political harassment of the Duterte family.

“We are determined to find out the truth based on evidence and not politics,” said Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano, a lawmaker from the Abang Lingkod party list, in a statement.

Paduano is chairman of the House Audit Committee, one of the four committees conducting the investigation. He made the statement in response to Vice President Sara Duterte, who said the investigation was a political attack on her family.

“If the Dutertes have nothing to hide, they have nothing to fear from our investigation. Our investigation is thorough and impartial. We follow the facts wherever they lead, and we will not allow distractions to hinder our efforts,” Paduano said.

During the hearing last week, former Customs Intelligence official Jimmy Guban linked Vice President Duterte's husband, Atty. Mans Carpio, her brother and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, and businessman Michael Yang to the P11 billion illegal drug shipment that entered the country in 2018.

The camps of Carpio, Duterte and Yang all denied Guban's allegations. Carpio also said the allegations were part of political attacks against her.

Paduano, however, said the Duterte family should address the allegations instead of “resorting to diversionary tactics.”

For his part, House Public Order and Safety Committee Chairman Dan Fernandez said the House committees were merely following a trail of evidence.

“If there is nothing to hide, there is no need to worry. Our mandate is clear: to enforce the law and ensure that justice is done. We will not allow allegations of harassment to distract us from focusing on the facts,” he said.

Robert Ace Barbers, a Surigao del Norte lawmaker who chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said political chicanery “has no place here; we are just doing our job. The truth comes first.”

Benny Abante of the House Human Rights Committee, however, said Vice President Duterte's words would not stand in the way of the investigation.

“We will not be deterred by allegations of harassment. Our responsibility is to the Filipino people,” he said. —KBK, GMA Integrated News