Chua doubts Dutertes’ HK trip reason: Not for OFWs, only for KJC
This December 30, 2019 photo shows then President Rodrigo Duterte and daughter, then Davao City Mayor now Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio during the commemoration of the 123rd Anniversary of the martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal at the Rizal Park in Davao City. RICHARD MADELO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — While he is not sure of the actual reason why allies and members of the Duterte family are in Hong Kong, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua has expressed doubts that it was meant to meet overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
In a press briefing on Monday at the Batasang Pambansa complex, Chua noted that the event was held inside a chapter of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) — a Christian church sect founded by Apollo Quiboloy, who has had close ties to former president Rodrigo Duterte and his family.
“Hindi natin alam kung ‘yon po talaga ay ‘yong biyahe nila don’ ay dahil nga po sa talagang official, dahil sa mga OFW o dahil nga sa may nagsi-circulate po na rumors about this arrest warrant. But it is quite noticeable until now ay wala pa rin yung ating dating pangulo,” Chua said, after being asked about the presence of Duterte and her daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, in Hong Kong.
(We do not know if these were really an official trip to meet OFWs, or because there were rumors about the arrest warrant. But it is quite noticeable until now that our former president has not returned.)
“At kung makikita po ninyo ‘yon pong crowd po nila dun ay ‘yong KOJC. So hindi naman po talaga ‘yon OFW na pangkalahatan eh, it was a set-up program kung saan ang KOJC po ang kanilang captured audience,” he added.
(And if you can see it, the crowd there is from the KJC. So it does not represent the entirety of OFWs there, it was a set-up program where the captured audience was the KJC members.)
Over the weekend, there were rumors that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will soon issue an arrest order for Duterte, due to the crimes against humanity of mass murder cases against him.
Duterte faced the crimes against humanity raps due to his role in his administration’s war on drugs, where thousands of individuals were killed. Many lauded Duterte’s campaign, but it was also flagged by human rights defenders for being violent and bloody.
After the arrest order rumors were shared over social media, it was confirmed that Duterte left the Philippines for Hong Kong last March 7.
The rumors were then compounded after Presidential Communications Office Secretary Jay Ruiz said that they heard talks about the ICC’s supposed arrest order, adding that the government is “prepared for any eventuality.”
READ: Palace on Duterte’s arrest warrant from ICC: Marcos gov’t ready
As of now, the Philippine National Police still has no verifiable information that the ICC had issued an arrest order for ex-president Duterte.
READ: PNP: No verifiable info on ICC arrest warrant vs Duterte
With regards to the ICC arrest order, Chua said these remain as rumors — adding that they will continue to work and prepare for Vice President Duterte’s impeachment trial whatever happens.
The younger Duterte was impeached last February 5, after 215 lawmakers filed and verified a fourth complaint hinged on alleged fund misuse within her offices, and threats to ranking government officials. She is also a secondary respondent in the ICC case.
“Sa ngayon na nanatiling rumors pa rin to dahil wala pa naman talagang nagkukumpirma kung talagang meron nang warrant na na-issue. So sa amin naman ayaw naman naming mag-rely lamang dito, basta’t insofar as we are concerned, tuloy lang po ‘yong aming pag-aaral (sa kaso), tuloy lang po ‘yong aming trabaho,” Chua said.
(As of now these remain as rumors because no one has confirmed if there was an arrest warrant issued. So for us, we do not want to rely on these claims, insofar as we are concerned, we just continue to study our case, we just continue to work.)
In Hong Kong, the older Duterte addressed talks on the arrest order, saying that his actions during the war on illegal drugs were for the Philippines’ benefit.
READ: Duterte on possible ICC arrest warrant: I did everything for Filipinos
Several official and independent investigations of the drug war have shown that there were several instances where innocent individuals were dragged into the anti-drug operations, like in the case of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos who was summarily executed even if he was not the original target of the operation in Caloocan City. last August 2017.
The three police officers involved in the case were convicted of murder.
