29/08/2024
SENATOR BATO DELA ROSA IMPLICATED IN EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS LINKED TO DUTERTE'S WAR ON DRUGS
Manila, Philippines | via Bhal Cabrera | August 29, 2024
In a significant development at the third Quad Committee public hearing held by the House Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Public Accounts, and Human Rights, Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, a prominent figure during the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, directly implicated Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa in the controversial extrajudicial killings that marked the campaign.
Espenido, once known as the face of Duterte’s aggressive anti-drug operations, testified that a reward and quota system for the killing of individuals linked to illegal drug activities was in place. According to Espenido's affidavit, these rewards were financed through intelligence funds and revenues from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs). He alleged that then-PNP Chief Dela Rosa was aware of and involved in these operations.
The statement marks a crucial point in the investigations into the extrajudicial killings that have been a contentious issue both domestically and internationally. Espenido's revelations suggest systematic efforts to eliminate alleged drug offenders, coordinated at the highest levels of the Philippine National Police, and potentially involving other government agencies.
Espenido expressed his discontent over being accused of involvement in Malaysian drug trafficking and being placed on the Narco list, which led to his bank accounts being frozen. Despite these accusations, Espenido declared he is unafraid to die in connection with the controversial drug war. His bold statements at the hearing have added another layer of complexity to the ongoing scrutiny of the Duterte administration’s methods and the people who implemented them.
The testimony against Senator Dela Rosa, now a member of the Senate, has intensified the spotlight on those who played pivotal roles in Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, raising questions about accountability and justice in the war on drugs that claimed thousands of lives. As the investigations continue, more revelations are expected, potentially implicating other high-ranking officials and shedding further light on the operations that defined one of the most controversial chapters in recent Philippine history.