By Junex Doronio
MANILA — House Quad Comm overall chair Robert Ace Barbers on Thursday (07 Nov 2024) hit back at Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa for claiming that the mega-panel’s probe into extrajudicial killings (EJKs) from Duterte administration’s drug war was a “gag show,” suggesting the senator might be casting himself as the punchline.
“We may be accused of providing entertainment and likened to a gag show, but who is laughing?” Barbers said as the Quad Comm resumed its probe into more than 20,000 deaths tied to former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s bloody anti-drug campaign.
“On the contrary, the one who said that must be so full of himself that he didn’t notice that the joke was on him,” Barbers added.
Dela Rosa, a key figure in Duterte’s drug war as the former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), has repeatedly declined invitations to participate in the Quad Comm inquiry, even going so far as to dismiss it as a “gag show.”
In his opening statement during the Quad Comm’s tenth public hearing, Barbers insisted that the ongoing investigation aims to uncover the truth behind the thousands of deaths, not to provide entertainment.
The lawmaker from Surigao del Norte also dismissed allegations that witnesses have been coerced into testifying, including recent claims from Police Col. Hector Grijaldo, who alleged pressure from committee leaders to confirm the existence of a reward system in the drug war.
Barbers said the witnesses and resource persons have freely and voluntarily shared information, without any coercion from the joint panel, composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights and Public Accounts.
He firmly denied any attempts to manipulate testimonies, underscoring the integrity of the investigation process.
“Forced admissions, in any way, were never a part of Quad Comm,” Barbers, who also chairs the Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said.
Barbers reiterated that the Quad Comm’s purpose is not to entertain but to seek justice for the families of EJK victims and survivors who have been “longing for the truth.”
He underscored the Quad Comm’s legislative responsibility, noting that the investigation’s findings are intended to inform new laws and policy recommendations.
“If along the way, people are found to be liable, it is our duty to make sure that justice is served. There is nothing funny about it. We only mean serious business,” he asserted.
Barbers assured that the committee remains resolute in its mission, describing the disturbing evidence encountered thus far.
“We owe it to the people,” he said, pledging that the committee would continue to pursue its duty to uncover the truth.
ia/mnm
By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — The House Quad Committee is pushing to pass two key bills on anti-extrajudicial killings and anti-offshore gaming operations within the 19th Congress.
Quad Committee lead Chair Robert Ace Barbers stated that they aim to pass House Bill 10986, the Anti-Extrajudicial Killings Act, and House Bill 10987, the Anti-Offshore Gaming Operations Act.
The lawmaker expressed hope that these bills will be prioritized in the legislative agenda.
He added that they are prepared to collaborate with their counterparts in the Senate to expedite the passage of the measures.
“The QuadCom will work to make this a priority legislation, and we will also lobby with our Senate counterparts to prioritize these proposed laws,” Barbers said.
The authors of the Anti-EJK bill include Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., Deputy Speaker David “Jay-jay” Suarez, and Quad Committee Chairs Robert Ace Barbers, Dan Fernandez, Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr., and Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano.
Other co-authors include Reps. Romeo Acop, Johnny Pimentel, Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, Rodge Gutierrez, Paolo Ortega V, Jay Khonghun, and Jonathan Keith Flores.
ia/mnm
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Exasperated by the brazen criminalities due to the absence of capital punishment, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Friday (27 September 2024) called for the revival of death penalty as a deterrent for heinous crimes, including drug trafficking and extra-judicial killings (EJKs).
Barbers, who currently serves as overall chairman of the House Quad Committee, made the call during his opening statement at the seventh public hearing of the joint panel tasked with investigating the links between illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), the proliferation of the illicit drug trade, land grabbing by certain Chinese nationals, and the EJKs associated with the Duterte administration’s brutal war on drugs.
“Naging urong-sulong po tayo sa usaping death penalty noong mga nakalipas na panahon. Tingnan n’yo ang nangyari. Sumama po lalo ang naging lagay ng ating kapayapaan at kaayusan. Hindi na takot ang mga kriminal. Lantaran ang ginawang pamamaslang na ngayon ay tinawag nating extrajuducial killings,” Barbers lamented.
He pointed out the necessity for a review of the revival of the death penalty for heinous crimes, alongside the passage of key legislative reforms aimed at dismantling criminal syndicates, holding corrupt officials accountable, and restoring peace and order in the country.
In the course of the House Quad Comm investigation, in aid of legislation, into drug-related EJKs under the Duterte administration, the panel has exposed law enforcement officers serving as “hired killers,” carrying out executions based solely on suspicions of drug involvement.
Barbers noted that these killings were driven by financial incentives, with officers receiving rewards for each death, as long as the victim was labeled a “drug personality.”
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By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — Surigao del Norte Second District Representative Ace Barbers has expressed support for the revival of the death penalty for heinous crimes.
This statement follows a recent shooting incident at the Makati EDSA tunnel.
“Yes, that’s correct. You can see that crimes nowadays are truly heinous. In fact, many of those involved in kidnappings and killings are Chinese nationals,” Barbers said in a radio interview when asked if he supports the return of the death penalty.
The lawmaker mentioned that such punishment should be imposed for drug-related crimes.
“The troubling part is that they get involved in crimes like drugs because they face the death penalty in their own country, but not here,” said Barbers, who chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs.
“It’s disheartening that a series of crimes involving Chinese nationals are happening in our country.”
Barbers previously thanked the Philippine National Police (PNP) for arresting Raymund Yu, the Chinese suspect in the killing.
(el Amigo/mnm)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Once reputed as “untouchable,” Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday (12 May 2024) announced that former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s economic adviser Michael Yang will be invited by the House of Representatives in connection with the P3.8 billion drug bust in Pampanga.
Barbers noted that in a series of hearings, Empire 999, the company that owns the warehouse where the drugs were ordered to be stored, was found to be owned by Chinese nationals who also owned other companies together with other personalities who have been previously linked to anomalous activities under the past administration.”
The Surigaonon lawmaker gathered that Lincoln Ong, a Pharmally official and an alleged associate of Yang, was found to be an incorporator of a company with links to other companies including Empire 999.
He added that based on findings from Public Accounts Chairman Joseph “Caraps” Paduano, Yang was allegedly linked to Ong.
To find out a connection, Public Order Chairman and Laguna congressman Dan Fernandez moved that Yang be invited to the next hearing of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs chaired by Barbers.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Alarmed by the entry of some Chinese nationals into the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) auxiliary force in the face of China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea, Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday (24 March 2024) urged the PCG to stop recruiting Chinese nationals.
Barbers pointed out that logically, the PCG should not be recruiting other nationalities into its forces even if they serve as volunteers during times of disaster and help donate in relief operations.
“Magandang mayroong mga volunteers diyan sa PCG. Pero it doesn’t make sense na nagre-recruit tayo ng hindi natin kalahi para dito sa operation. Kaya ng ‘Philippine Coast Guard’ eh, hindi naman sinabing Philippine and Chinese Coast Guard ‘yan,” the Surigaonon lawmaker said in his interview with Super Radyo dzBB.
He said in a recent congressional hearing that the Chinese auxiliary members of the PCG may be performing “spying duties in the guise of being auxiliary force members.”
But PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo maintained that there was no strong basis on which to conclude that these Chinese nationals recruited into the auxiliary force were spies.
He claimed that the PCG had a vetting process when the Chinese applied.
Balilo said that the Chinese have been helping the Coast Guard for a long time but for humanitarian assistance and donations only.
Pending the formal investigation into the matter, Barbers stressed that the PCG should stop the recruitment process first for other nationals who want to serve in the auxiliary force.
“Ako’y nananawagan sa officers ng ating PCG na medyo makonsensya tayo ng konti at itigil natin muna ang paggamit o pag-recruit nitong mga Chinese nationals. Number two, habang patuloy ang imbestigasyon dito, dapat i-terminate muna ang mga ‘yan. Wag munang paalisin dahil papatawag natin ‘yan sa Kongreso ‘pag nag-umpisa tayo ng hearing,” Barbers said.
Political pundits told Maharlika NuMedia that the Chinese nationals in the PCG auxiliary force could be the proverbial Trojan Horse.
According to Wikipedia, the term “Trojan horse” is used metaphorically to mean any trick or strategy that causes a target to invite a foe into a securely protected place; or to deceive by appearance, hiding malevolent intent in an outwardly benign exterior; to subvert from within using deceptive means.
(el Amigo/MNM)
By Dang Samson Garcia
SURIGAO Del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers filed a resolution directing the House Committee on Public Accounts to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, on the alleged misuse of funds and mismanagement of the Surigao del Norte State University.
House Resolution 1319 also seeks a review of all the contracts and appointments signed by University President Gregorio Gamboa Jr.
The resolution was based on complaints of faculty members and students, which reached Barber’s office, that Gamboa disregarded shared governance policies and practices of the school.
The resolution indicated that the Commission on Audit report for 2022 showed that there were irregularities in the school’s financial transactions.
Barbers said that SNSU is the first and only state university in the province, thus, allegations of irregularities must be investigated.
By Liezelle Soriano
HOUSE Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairperson Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said on Monday that the amount of illegal drugs seized under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has already reached P30 billion.
During the resumption of the investigation into the P6.7 billion drug seizure in Manila in October 2022, Barbers said that the P30 billion in illegal substances consisted of 4.4 tons of shabu and nearly three tons of dried marijuana leaves.
“Within the last five weeks, authorities were able to nab 1.3 tons of illegal drugs. And for the last one and a half years of the (Marcos) administration, the street value of these nabbed illegal drugs are already worth at least P30 billion,” Barbers said.
“This amount can most definitely finance the elections and victory of drug lords in our political arena. Such war chest is even enough to fund a presidential campaign,” he added.
The lawmaker added that the country has law enforcement personnel who do their jobs with integrity, “even if there are bad apples within their ranks,” adding these bad apples should not win.
Barbers added: “We will thresh out the whys and hows our country continues to be the favorite destination of illegal drugs and who are the big personalities or even bigger entities behind these shipments to flood us with these contrabands with fictitious and non-existent consignees.”
(ai/mnm)