Senator’s fear of ‘tokhang’ probe slammed

Senator’s fear of ‘tokhang’ probe slammed

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Minority Leader France Castro on Sunday accused Sen. Ronald dela Rosa of being afraid to face the victims of the bloody war on drugs he enforced when he was Philippine National Police chief as he declined to attend a House of Representatives inquiry into the extrajudicial killings, known as “tokhang” (knock and plead) slays.

The ACT Teachers party list representative, in a statement, described the senator’s refusal to appear before the House committee on human rights as a “cowardly act” and an attempt to evade accountability. She, however, urged Dela Rosa to reconsider.

The panel, chaired by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., moved to invite Dela Rosa and former President Rodrigo Duterte during its June 25 hearing to attend its continuing inquiry into the drug war deaths.

READ: House probe to ask Bato not as senator but as ex-PNP chief – Abante

Dela Rosa had declined the invitation. He claimed he was advised by Senate President Francis Escudero that he is not required to attend the House hearings because of the interparliamentary courtesy between both chambers.

‘Afraid to face victims’

“Senator Dela Rosa should not hide behind interparliamentary courtesy as an excuse. The truth is, he is afraid to face the victims of the bloody drug war that he and former President Duterte orchestrated,” Castro said.

READ: Abante: Past drug war deceitful, don’t vote for anti-human rights bets

Dela Rosa, as PNP chief, was the main architect of Duterte’s drug war. The Human Rights Watch reported around 20,000 Filipinos, mostly from the urban poor, died with 2,555 of the killings attributed to the PNP.

Castro noted Dela Rosa’s “inconsistent” stance on interparliamentary courtesy. She cited Dela Rosa’s invitation to House members, particularly Kabataan party list Rep. Raoul Manuel, to attend Senate hearings.

“Why the double standard now?” she said.

Castro slammed Dela Rosa’s claim that the country’s justice system was functional as shown by the conviction of a number of PNP personnel.

“The convictions are too few and far between. As one of the architects of this bloody war on drugs, he himself should face investigation and be held accountable,” she said.

“Senator Dela Rosa’s refusal to participate only reinforces the suspicion that he has something to hide,” she added.