By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Emphasizing that no one is above the law—whether rich or poor, president or not—House Assistant Majority Leader Jay Khonghun of Zambales on Tuesday (November 5, 2024) called on former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to attend the Quad Comm hearing on Thursday, November 7.
“Nobody, and I mean nobody, is above the law—literally and figuratively. We are a nation of laws, not of men. This is too basic in all law schools,” Khonghun pointed out.
“And not just that, this is taught early in school, even to non-political science (pre-law) students. This very popular phrase is self-explanatory. This is also the essence and bedrock of our democratic society that we always hold dear,” he emphasized.
Khonghun, a leader of the “Young Guns” clique in the chamber, also reiterated that Duterte should move beyond merely protecting policemen he allegedly ordered to kill drug suspects, especially since he is no longer immune from prosecution as of July 2022.
“There is the repeated demand for public accountability here, especially in light of the so-called state-sponsored executions where innocent lives have been lost in the name of the purported war against illegal drugs,” Khonghun said.
“Go beyond rhetoric. Tell us the whole truth about EJKs, and don’t be selective in your testimony. The Filipinos deserve nothing less. Prove to us your real worth by showing you are the country’s poster boy in terms of transparency, that you’re not afraid of anything,” Khonghun said.
“Truth, no matter how hard, should prevail above everything else, even more than power itself.”
“There should be truth above power, whose holders only come and go. As elected officials in charge of making laws, ferreting out the whole truth has been part of our mandate. It is our priority, and we will make sure that real culprits are indicted, powerful or not,” he warned.
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