
As the investigation on extrajudicial killings (EJK) by the House Quad Comm ramps up, personalities involved in the EJKs are now setting up their defenses to battle the accusations against them. In a Facebook video dated 15 October 2024, Senator Bong Go, the one being tagged as the facilitator on the reward system for the EJKs, stated that he was not aware of such a system and that statements on the existence of the reward system are just mere baseless accusations.
However, multiple public statements undermine Bong Go’s claims. As a close confidant of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Go has previously acknowledged the existence of a reward system for law enforcement personnel involved in the anti-drug campaign—especially those infamously known as “ninja cops.” These are police operatives who engage in the illegal reselling of drugs seized during operations. The reward system allegedly incentivized successful drug operations, raising serious concerns about its contribution to the escalation of violence and EJKs under the pretense of drug war enforcement.
In a media interview on 24 September 2019, Bong Go openly claimed that there exists a reward system, as stated by then President Duterte, for the suppression of ninja cop activities. For slain suspects involved in drug trading, Duterte, through Bong Go, gave a reward of PhP1 million. If the ninja cop remained alive, the reward was PhP500 thousand.
The reward system was seen as a motivation for the police force to act with impunity, resulting in human rights violations. Go’s statements have been widely scrutinized as they point to a culture of incentivizing officers for their role in the campaign, which may have encouraged abuses of power, including summary executions. At the foreground of the EJK is former President Duterte, who gave clear marching orders to his cops to kill. Duterte even promised his cops that he would save them from investigation and prosecution as long as suspected drug personalities are killed.
Bong Go’s Facebook post appears more as a desperate and defensive maneuver in light of the growing scrutiny from the House Quad Committee’s investigation into EJKs. The entire Duterte camp seems to be scrambling to formulate a defense, although it remains glaringly weak.
Even Senator Bato Dela Rosa is launching his investigation in the Senate to probe the EJKs during Duterte’s time. Stupidly enough, Bato thinks that this move will gain popularity. But people are smart enough to think that Bato, one of the primary persons accused in the EJK, can investigate himself. The same goes with Bong Go, who is also part of the committee that will launch an investigation in the Senate.
The involvement of Dela Rosa and Go in these scandals severely undermines the credibility of any investigation. Go has been explicitly identified as the facilitator of the reward system, responsible for funneling money to police operatives, while Dela Rosa is seen as the architect of the entire Tokhang operation, all masterminded by Duterte.
The Duterte camp still clings to the illusion of power over the people, but the public is not easily misled. Go’s Facebook post offers nothing more than a flimsy and transparent defense against his role in the brutal war on drugs. The internet never lies, and his previous statements have already confirmed the existence of a reward system. Even Dela Rosa’s proposal for a Senate investigation on the war on drugs is viewed as a flawed initiative destined for bias, given that the accused are essentially investigating themselves.
The people see through the intentions of Duterte and his allies and they cannot be fooled. People want the Duterte, Bong Go, and Dela Rosa to answer for the crimes against them. It’s best for them to stop playing these games and just appear before the Quad Comm to answer the allegations against them.