HOUSE Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun of Zambales has welcomed former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s reiteration that he is assuming full responsibility for the thousands of drug suspects killed during his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“Well, katulad nga ng sinabi ng dating Pangulong Duterte, guilt is personal. Inakusahan nga siya ng pagpatay, ‘yung mga kamag-anak ng mga nasawi noong panahon na paglaban ng ating pamahalaan lalong-lalo sa illegal drugs. Dapat lang naman talaga na sagutin, harapin at bigyan ng katarungan ‘yung mga nangyari noong panahon na siya ay naging Presidente,” he said in a news conference Thursday.
“If he is willing to take the responsibility sa nangyayari doon, mas maganda, dahil ibig sabihin siya mismo rin sa kanyang sarili na nalaman niya na kung sino talaga ‘yung responsable, lalo na ‘yung mga nangyaring pagpatay noong panahon ng kanyang rehimen,” Khonghun, who chairs the House Special Committee on Bases Conversion, said.
For House Assistant Majority Leader Ernix Dionisio Jr. of Manila, people should take Duterte’s statements for what they are — coming from a very emotional man.
“I think it could be that the former president is very emotional at this point. Ako kasi, kung anuman yung sinasabi ng ating dating Pangulo, we just take it for what it is. At the end of the day, yung proseso nangyayari na eh,” he said.
“So let’s not overanalyze, let’s just hear everything, ‘yung mga issues and pieces of evidence, and let’s assess from there,” he said.
The Manila solon called on the people, particularly supporters of the Dutertes, to be clam and take consolation in the fact that the former leader appeared to be in high spirits as he was transported to The Hague to face the charge of allegedly committing crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Dionisio said the former president’s safety in The Hague is assured.
“Siguro ‘yung isang key point na dapat maging kapanatagan din ng mga kababayan natin at sa mga nasa side ni former president is that the … ‘yung safety niya rin duon sa lugar. And from the photos that I’ve seen sa news and online, mukha naman maayos siya, in good health and high spirits. So again, let’s just wait on how things will pan out and turn out,” he said.
The former president reiterated his previous statements of owning responsibility for drug war-related deaths and extrajudicial killings shortly before his plane landed in The Hague.
Upon landing, he was taken into custody by ICC authorities.
The Philippine embassy in The Hague provided assistance to the former president and his party by giving them winter clothing and arranging for the issuance of their visas.
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