Cardinal David urges Marcos to form truth commission on EJKs

Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to assemble a truth and reconciliation commission to look into alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Tina Panganiban-Perez on Friday, David had written to Malacañang with a request to form a commission where victims, witnesses, and law enforcers may be able to freely speak about the cases, as well as recommend compensation and psychosocial support.

The proposed commission should also be allowed to scrutinize the records of law enforcement agencies and recommend reforms against abuse.

“Noong hindi na bumebenta yung narrative na nanlaban, nagswitch sila unti-unti sa mga paid assassins, mga death squads funded by the government,” David said.

(When the narrative that drug suspects were fighting back no longer worked, they gradually shifted to paid assassins, death squads formed by the government.)

David suggested that members of the commission should be selected from various civil society organizations as well as the Commission on Human Rights.

The government authorities may file charges based on the information collected by the truth commission.

“Hindi maningil ng dugo sa dugo kundi sabihing umamin lang kayo, sabihin natin ang katotohanan para magkaroon naman ng closure yung bayan natin,” David said.

(We aren’t seeking blood for blood, but we are asking them to confess and say the truth so that the country will have closure.)

Malacañang has yet to comment on the proposal. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News