Former President Rodrigo Duterte has confirmed he will attend the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on October 28 regarding his administration’s controversial war on drugs, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa announced on Saturday. Dela Rosa, a close ally and former chief implementer of the drug campaign, shared the update following a recent dinner with Duterte and other former officials.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III noted that Duterte had expressed some hesitation earlier in the week. However, Dela Rosa reiterated that Duterte is committed to appearing regardless of who leads the inquiry.
The Senate’s investigation, requested by Dela Rosa and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, will run alongside a House Quad Committee probe into extrajudicial killings (EJKs) linked to the drug campaign. Other invitees include retired Police Colonel Royina Garma, ex-Senator Leila de Lima, drug suspect Kerwin Espinosa, and families of alleged drug war victims.
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has assured that Duterte will receive due respect at the hearing, which seeks to address the significant impact of the anti-drug operations. Government data reports around 6,200 deaths from police drug operations from 2016 to 2021, although human rights groups estimate the toll could be as high as 30,000, accounting for unreported related killings.