De Lima asks Duterte to monitor Senate hearings on drug-related slays

Sen. Leila de Lima on Monday asked President Rodrigo Duterte to closely watch the series of hearings that the Senate would be conducting on the spate of drug-related killings under his administration.

The Senate committe on justice, which De Lima chairs, is set to conduct a two-day inquiry on the killings on August 22 and 23, where key government officials are expected to attend, including Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

"Sana ay masubaybayan po ninyo ang mga gagawing pagdinig ng Senado ukol sa mga patayang nagaganap. Nais po nating malaman ang katotohanan sa likod ng mga ito," said De Lima in an open letter to the President.

The neophyte senator said the Senate hearings carry the same goal that the Duterte administration has in identifying the people and groups behind the illegal drug trade in the country, and the source and scope of the problem.

"Sa paglalahad ng katotohanan, pakay po natin ang tunay na tagumpay ng kampanya laban sa droga at kriminalidad sa pagpapanukala ng mga nararapat na batas at alituntunin upang tulungan ang ating mga alagad ng batas sa tamang pagtupad ng tungkulin," she said.

De Lima noted that there are "indications or theories" that not all vigilante-style killings and arrest-related slays are related to the government's anti-drug campaign.

"May mga pagpatay na isinasabay o isinasakay lamang ng mga tiwaling kawani ng pamahalaan at mga kasabwat nila upang pagtakpan ang kanilang karumaldumal na partisipasyon sa kalakasan ng droga," she said.

"Hindi nila isinusulong, kundi inililihis pa nga ang direksyon ng paglaban sa droga at sinasabotahe ang magagandang layunin ng kampanya," added De Lima, who headed the Department of Justice during the Aquino administration and the Commission on Human Rights during the Arroyo administration.

Police records show over 400 drug suspects have been killed since Duterte, known for his tough anti-crime stance during his stint as Davao City mayor, assumed office with his promise to rid the country of criminality within the first six months of his administration. 

The tally from the PNP, culled from July 1 to August 2, also showed a total of 5,418 suspects have been arrested and 565,806 others have turned themselves in to authorities.

The PNP also said it has conducted 223,847 house visitations and implemented 427 search warrants. The slain suspects were killed either in police operations or vigilante-style.

Last week, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano appealed to his fellow senators not to "intimidate" police officers through the Senate inquiry, saying lawmakers should instead focus on crafting laws to strengthen the police force. 

Cayetano was Duterte's running mate in the May 9 elections. —KBK, GMA News