As the investigation on extrajudicial killings (EJK) by the House Quad Comm ramps up, personalities involved in the EJKs are now setting up their defenses to battle the accusations against them.
In a Facebook video dated October 15, 2024, Senator Bong Go, the one being tagged as the facilitator on the reward system for the EJKs, has stated that he was not aware of such system and that statements on the existence of the reward system are just mere baseless accusations.
However, multiple public statements undermine his claims. As a close confidant of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Go has previously acknowledged the existence of a reward system for law enforcement personnel involved in the anti-drug campaign—especially those infamously known as “ninja cops.” These are police operatives who engage in the illegal reselling of drugs seized during operations. The reward system allegedly incentivized successful drug operations, raising serious concerns about its contribution to the escalation of violence and EJKs.
In a media interview on September 24, 2019, Go openly claimed that there exists a reward system as stated by then President Duterte, for the suppression of ninja cop activities.
The reward system was seen as a motivation in the police force to act with impunity, resulting in human rights violations. Go’s statements have been widely scrutinized as they point to a culture of incentivizing officers for their role in the campaign, which may have encouraged abuses of power, including summary executions.
Bong Go’s Facebook post appears more as a desperate and defensive maneuver in light of the growing scrutiny from the House Quad Committee’s investigation into EJKs.
Senator Bato Dela Rosa is launching his own investigation in the Senate to probe the EJKs during Duterte’s time. But people are smart enough to think that Bato, who is one of the primary persons accused in the EJK, can investigate himself. The same goes with Go, who is also part of the committee that will launch an investigation in the Senate.
The involvement of Dela Rosa and Go in these scandals severely undermines the credibility of any investigation. Go has been explicitly identified as the facilitator of the reward system, responsible for funneling money to police operatives, while Dela Rosa is seen as the architect of the entire Tokhang operation.
Go’s Facebook post offers nothing more than a flimsy and transparent defense against his roles in the brutal war on drugs. The internet never lies, and his previous statements have already confirmed the existence of a reward system. Even Dela Rosa’s proposal for a Senate investigation on the war on drugs is viewed as a flawed initiative, given that the accused are essentially investigating themselves.
The people see through the intentions and they cannot be fooled. It’s best for those being tagged to stop playing games and just appear before the Quad Comm to answer the allegations against them.
