From left to right: La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V, Former President Rodrigo Duterte, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun (Facebook, Malacañang photo)
Members of the House of Representatives’ Young Guns bloc want the country’s institutions to oppose former President Rodrigo Duterte’s apparent admission of his responsibility for killings during his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
Deputy Majority Leader Tingog Party List Representative Jude Acidre; Assistant Majority Leaders Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun, Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mika Suansing, La Union 1st District Paolo Ortega; and Lordan Suan, representative of the First District of Cagayan de Oro City, released a joint statement on Monday afternoon, October 28, urging the justice system to “seize this moment and act without fear or favor.”
Duterte made this admission during his appearance in the investigation by the other legislative chamber – the Senate – into the previous administration’s anti-narcotics campaign.
Acidre said Duterte’s statement during the Senate hearing leaves no room for leniency. “Duterte’s admission has removed any ambiguity.”
‘Duterte must be held accountable’
“The former president has publicly accepted responsibility for these deaths. If we truly stand by our principles of justice and the rule of law, then Mr. Duterte must be held accountable. He has to go to prison for these EJKs (extrajudicial executions). This isn’t about politics; it is about justice,” he said.
Acidre emphasized that no one, especially those in positions of power, should be immune from legal consequences. “Duterte’s words have given the justice system a clear mandate to act. As public servants, our duty is to uphold justice, not to protect individuals. “Duterte must face the legal consequences of his actions.”
ICC option
Khonghun reiterated Acidre’s position: “Duterte’s admission provides an opportunity to reaffirm our country’s commitment to the rule of law. This is a critical moment for our institutions to show their strength in pursuing the legal accountability that so many families have been waiting for,” he said.
Ortega underlined the potential role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) should domestic options fail.
“If Philippine authorities do not act, the ICC could be a crucial avenue for justice. We must take accountability for the lives lost and demonstrate that no one is above the law,” he noted.
For her part, Suansing underlined the role of government institutions in ensuring that justice is upheld.
“Our judiciary and investigative authorities now have a duty to act on this confession. The former president’s own words must be met with a serious response. Victims of EJKs have waited too long for answers,” she said.
DOJ, Ombudsman ‘must take decisive action’
Suan, an attorney, called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Ombudsman to launch a full investigation.
“We cannot ignore such a confession. These institutions must act decisively and transparently to restore confidence in our justice system,” he said.
Acidre further said: “Our nation is at a crucial juncture and the path forward is clear: Duterte must submit to the law. Let this be the moment we stand for justice, dignity and the lives lost.”