Sen. Pimentel's opening statement during the hearing on the Duterte administration's war on illegal drugs | GMA Integrated News - video Dailymotion

GMA Integrated News

Senator Koko Pimentel, chairperson of the Subcommittee on the Philippine War on Illegal Drugs, gave his opening statement during the committee's hearing on the Duterte administration's war on illegal drugs on Monday, October 28.

Transcript

00:00Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat.

00:05Welcome to the first hearing of the subcommittee of the Blue Ribbon Committee,

00:10which was given the responsibility of investigating the Philippine war on illegal drugs.

00:18Allow me to thank Senate President Jesus Codero and the chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee, Senator Pia Cayetano,

00:27and of course my colleagues here in the Senate, and we are just being joined by Senator Bato de la Rosa,

00:35for the trust you have placed on this representation to chair this subcommittee.

00:42Our assignment will not be an easy task.

00:47I shall conduct this investigation without fear or favor, and I will simply follow the evidence.

00:55As the chairman of this subcommittee, I have construed our instruction to investigate the Philippine war on illegal drugs

01:04to begin with the Duterte administration, which was the first administration to use the term war on drugs

01:13to signify its prioritization of the enforcement of our anti-illegal drugs laws, all the way and all the way to the present time.

01:24Under our Senate rules, the Blue Ribbon Committee has jurisdiction over matters relating to investigation of malfeasance,

01:33misfeasance, and nonfeasance in office by officers and employees of the government.

01:41Malfeasance is intentional conduct that is wrongful or unlawful.

01:48Nonfeasance is failure to act where there was a duty to act.

01:54Misfeasance is conduct that is lawful but harms another person due to carelessness or an accident.

02:03Therefore, with the permission of my colleagues, I want to start our investigation by examining first

02:10the Duterte administration's enforcement of our anti-illegal drugs laws.

02:17How effective was the Duterte administration's war on drugs?

02:23Did it follow the law and rules?

02:26Was it compliant with the letter of the Constitution as well as with the values and principles contained in our Constitution?

02:37I am thankful to the House of Representatives' Quad Com

02:41because I believe they have saved us a lot of time with the allegations which have been made before them,

02:48many of which we can take notice of for being of public knowledge, a la judicial notice.

02:58We can take notice of the grievances of people.

03:03Our hearings will be an opportunity for those who have been accused of malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance

03:12or even just put in a bad light to respond to the allegations should they wish to do so.

03:21These hearings will also give the Senators a chance to find out more about how the Philippines conducts its drug wars

03:33which is a matter of great public interest.

03:37Let us remember what the Constitution tells us.

03:41Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people,

03:47serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency,

03:53act with patriotism and justice and lead modest lives.

03:59The State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service

04:05and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption.

04:11According to a case by the Supreme Court, it bears to emphasize that public office is a public trust.

04:21Thus public officers are exhorted to at all times serve the public with transparent accountability.

04:29So let us all keep an open mind.

04:33Let us follow the evidence.

04:36With thousands of deaths caused by the Duterte administration's war on drugs,

04:44we have caused one death too many.

04:47Sobrang dami naman ata niyan para sabihin lamang na nanlaban lahat.

04:52We don't even have the death penalty on our statute books.

04:56And even assuming that we had this, the State would not have executed more than 6,000 death convicts in 6 years.

05:05No State with a conscience would have done this and this would have merited international condemnation.

05:13Let us therefore answer the cries for justice from our people.

05:18Let us reform not just the Philippine National Police but the entire notion of public service.

05:26Ang sabi public office is a public trust, ano bang ibig sabihin ito?

05:33We know that something is terribly wrong somewhere.

05:37Together let us find out what and where.

05:40Let us be objective as we analyze our problems.

05:44And let us as much as possible be scientific or systematic as we determine our solutions

05:51and our way out of this difficult situation we find ourselves in.

05:57So I say again, let us follow the evidence so we can uncover the truth.

06:02We want to know the truth not only because it can set us free

06:07but also so we can strengthen the rule of law and then heal our land.

06:14So we ask for the people's prayers.

06:17May the Almighty and all-knowing God guide us in this endeavor.

Sen. Pimentel's opening statement during the hearing on the Duterte administration's war on illegal drugs | GMA Integrated News

Category

Transcript

Recommended