House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez is seeking an investigation of the recent killings of male teenagers as it may be a ploy to discredit the administration’s anti-drug campaign. In a television interview on Monday, Alvarez said the drug lords or politicians in the country may have conspired to stoke public anger against the government.
“Kailangan talaga imbestigahan yan. Kasi nakita natin yung proseso eh, na sadyang itong mga minors, sunud-sunod o, pinapatay. So ano motibo dito di ba? Malinaw, para mag-aklas, magalit sa administration,” Alvarez said.
“Malinaw na malinaw. Maaaring gawain ito ng mga drug lord para mahinto ang kampanya against illegal drugs, o maaaring gawain ito ng pulitika. Dalawang possibilities dito. Pero para sabihin mong gawa ito ng administrasyon, kalokohan ito,” he added.
In reaction to Alvarez’ statement, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said it is high time for the House leadership to prioritize the hearing of extrajudicial killings in the country.
In August, the seven-member Makabayan bloc has filed a resolution calling for a congressional inquiry into the alleged drug-related killing of Delos Santos by policemen.
For his part, Akbayan Partylist Rep. Tom Villarin called for an objective, impartial and thorough investigation into the killings. with PNA