Former President Rodrigo Duterte will not participate in the investigation of the House of Representatives Committee on October 22 regarding the killings of drug suspects during his administration, but he is ready to participate in future hearings, his legal counsel stated on Monday. Duterte's lawyer Martin Delgra III explained that the former president feels unwell and needs a break after recent events. Delgra noted that Duterte was unable to prepare for the hearing due to health issues and requested an extension for his appearance before the committee. He emphasized Duterte's advanced age and his need for a break, having turned to the committee with a request to postpone the date of his appearance before them.
Duterte became the subject of accusations from two imprisoned individuals who claim he ordered the murder of three Chinese nationals, convicted of drug-related crimes in the Davao prison in August 2016. Additionally, Kervin Espinosa, a high-profile drug suspect, asserted that Duterte ordered the killing of his father, former mayor Albuera Roland Espinosa, who was killed in a police raid in 2016. Other witnesses, including police officer Hovi Espenido and former general of the Fond of charitable lotteries Philippine Roin Garma, testified about the 'Davao model' in the war against drugs.
'I will not give rewards,' Duterte said in an interview with Sonshine Media Network International. His former press secretary and adviser Salvador Panelo also rejected the idea of a 'killing policy' during Duterte's administration, stating Garma's statements about the Davao model were purely fictional. Garma claimed that Duterte promoted a system providing police with sums of 20,000 to 1 million pesos for the murder of each suspect in drug cases. Duterte subsequently denied the existence of any system for the operations against drug traffickers, asserting that the only reward he proposed consisted of food and drinks.