The Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee Hearing on Duterte’s drug war is turning into a full-blown circus, distracting the public from the real issue: a reward system that encourages police to kill in exchange for cash and promotions. Police officer Lt. Col. Arnulfo Ibañez recently confessed during the QuadComm hearing that a reward system fueled the killings— cops were encouraged to kill, with bonuses and perks promised for every life taken. However, just a few days after his shocking confession, he now claims, in a sudden twist, that he was “forced” by certain members of the QuadComm to admit it.

The timing of his denial raises questions, especially because it was made during the Senate hearing which benefits Duterte and his supporters in the Senate. They have everything to gain by making this confession disappear. If the public believes Ibañez was forced, Duterte’s circle can escape responsibility. However, this last-minute denial looks like a planned move to protect Duterte’s image and keep the truth from the Filipino people.

The truth about Duterte’s drug war and its reward system is being buried in a circus of lies, all led by his closest allies. The Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee hearing, which should be an impartial investigation, is run by two of Duterte’s most loyal supporters—Senator Bato Dela Rosa and Senator Bong Go. Senator Bato, Duterte’s former police chief, was at the helm of the drug war himself. Senator Go has been Duterte’s right-hand man for years and has also been implicated by witnesses in the reward system that fueled Duterte’s violent drug campaign. Both are now leading this so-called investigation. With Duterte’s inner circle running the show, Ibañez’s story change is no surprise.

This glaring conflict of interest is obvious to the public. How can an investigation led by Duterte’s closest allies be expected to uncover the truth? Instead, it seems like a stage for Duterte’s men to distort facts, twist stories, and shield Duterte’s legacy from scrutiny.

Instead of a fair investigation, the Senate hearing has become an act meant to confuse and mislead the public. Thousands of Filipinos lost their lives in Duterte’s bloody war, and countless families were destroyed. Yet this hearing, led by Duterte’s allies, aims to erase that painful truth by putting on a show. It’s a performance to make the Filipino people forget the lives lost and the suffering caused by a violent drug war.

Duterte’s drug war was about rewards and abuse of power. The lives lost can’t be forgotten just because of a staged Senate circus. The people see through this act, and Filipinos won’t be fooled again. The truth about Duterte’s bloody legacy will live on, no matter how hard they try to hide it.

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