It is reported that funds from Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo) were allegedly used to reward police officers who killed drug suspects, prompting an investigation by the House of Representatives' Quadripartite Committee.
On Wednesday, August 7, at a press conference held at the Batasang Pambansa building, Manila 6th District Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr. revealed this information when asked why the Human Rights Committee he leads is part of the Quadripartite Committee.
The Quadripartite Committee, composed of the Human Rights Committee, the Dangerous Drugs Committee, the Committee on Public Order and Safety, and the Committee on Public Accounts, will investigate the links between Pogos and illegal drugs discovered in early 2024. The human rights group led by Abante is also investigating alleged extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration.
"There are monetary transactions, I mean, we have seen that there might be a quota system in the Philippine National Police (PNP), that's the first point. Although some deny it, some officers have admitted to it. Secondly, there is a reward system, which means if you can kill a drug suspect, you will be rewarded," Abante said.
"We found out—this is the testimony of a police officer we questioned—that they could get from 20,000 to 60,000 pesos. We want to know why, we want to know where this money comes from, because we have information indicating that this money comes from Pogo's money, from gambling money," he added. "Monetary transactions, that is, gambling money paid by Pogo to our police."
During the anti-drug war implemented under former President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine National Police was criticized for its bloody operations, leading some sectors to speculate that the police had to adhere to quotas in drug operations.
In August 2023, former police colonel and now 1-Rider party-list Representative Bonifacio Bosita claimed that there was a quota system within the Philippine National Police, requiring officers to conduct a minimum number of drug operations each week.
However, former Philippine National Police Chief General Oscar Albayalde stated in May 2024 that during his tenure, there were no direct or indirect instructions to implement a quota system in terms of drug war performance.
Albayalde was the second Philippine National Police chief appointed by Duterte.
Torture, Human Trafficking
The head of the Dangerous Drugs Committee, Representative Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte's second district, also stated that the investigation into Pogos involves human rights issues, as in addition to torture, sexual abuse, and even murder, many workers are forced to work long hours.
Barbers referred to a report by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Committee, which stated that some foreigners were sold to offshore gaming centers, many of whom suffered torture while trying to escape.
"In addition to the torture of offshore gaming workers presented by the Committee on Public Order, a significant part of the human rights issues also involves forced labor, as PAOCC indicates, workers are forced to work more than 18 hours, just imagine, just to meet their quotas," Barbers said.
"So this is a part of the human rights issues we should focus on, in addition to the murders, torture, human trafficking incidents, and kidnappings of offshore gaming workers, which are all present," he added.
Representative Romeo Acop of Antipolo's second district said that these killings could also be seen as extrajudicial killings (EJKs), possibly really related to the drug war.
"If we remember, the core of the previous government was the drug war, I think we agree on this, and the drug war became the core because we know many crimes are related to illegal drugs[…]but after the government stepped down, there are still many residual forces doing these bad things," he said.
"For example, in San Juan, Batangas province, no entrapment operations occurred, but the suspect was shot, this is an extrajudicial killing[…]so I think, if we look at all aspects of the committee, these all stem from one issue, that is illegal drugs. So this is why we thought of establishing the Quadripartite Committee, so all issues will be interconnected and stitched together," he added.
The four committees' task, following the passage of House Resolution (HR) 1880 on Tuesday, is to investigate these interwoven issues. According to the representatives, the first hearing will be held on August 15.
