Senate Probes Extra Judicial Killings: Opening Statements

Philippines' senate has decided to conduct a two-day hearing related to the issue about extra judicial killings. The probe was led by Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights Chairperson, Leila De Lima.

The bottom line questions were:

"Sa imbestigasyong ito, sisikapin nating malaman, sapat ba ang umiiral na batas para tugunan ang patuloy na tumataas na bilang ng extra judicial killings sa bansa?

Kung sapat ang ating mga batas, maayos ba itong ipinapatupad para masigurong hindi ito inaabuso ng ilang tiwaling grupo o personalidad?

De Lima followed the questions with the statements:

"Linawin ko lang po. Hindi layunin ng imbestigasyong ito na pigilin o pahinain ang kampanya laban sa droga ng kasalukuyang administrasyon."

"Nais pa po natin itong palakasin habang sinisigurong walang batas na nilalabag, walang karapatang niyuyurakan at walang buhay na nilalapastangan."

"Gusto din natin patibayin pa ang kakayahan ng ating mga kapulisan sa paglaban sa droga sa pamamagitan ng mga panukalang batas upang gabayan sila sa tamang pagtupad ng tungkulin."

"Hinihikayat ko po ang lahat na subaybayan ang mga pagdinig na ito ng senado. Samahan 'nyo po kaming suriin, imbestigahan at tukuyin ang katotohanan tungo sa mas mapayapa, mas makatarungan at makataong lipunan. "

Here are the highlights of the opening statements of the senators:

Senator Panfilo Lacson: "To our police officers present in this inquiry. Honestly, I don't know how this whole exercise of drug fighting will end. I have no idea what is the end state of all your efforts and I want to pick your brain on that later. I can only make a guess: Either we have a drug free Philippines after 6 months or maybe a longer period...or God forbid, you go bust and worse, end up in jail."

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano: "Ngayon po, the respect and fear for the law has been restored. Drug lords and their supporters are on the run. People are beginning to feel safe renewed trust on our law enforcers and government under Pres. Duterte." People support the anti war drugs. Criminals don't. "

Senator Risa Hontiveros: "Ang ating kampanya laban sa droga ay hindi dapat mauwi sa simpleng pagbibilang ng mga napatay. Dapat ang sukatan ng matagumpay na kamapanay laban sa droga ay ang pagdami ng mga buhay na napabuti, naituwid at nailigtas. The war on drugs should not be reduced to killings. It must be a just campaign to promote new beginnings. I believe that in the government's war against drugs, we can not play gods and decide which lives matter and which lives don't."