Rep. Benny Abante of Manila’s 6th District clarified that previous Congresses funded the anti-drug campaign, not the execution of extrajudicial killings.
Abante, who also chairs the House Committee on Human Rights, responded to claims that lawmakers have changed their stance on Duterte’s drug war.
He explained that while Congress allocated funds for the anti-drug initiative under the General Appropriations Act, it did not endorse the killing of innocent, poor Filipinos.
Abante stressed that many families were left fatherless and financially burdened due to the casualties of Oplan Tokhang and Oplan Double Barrel.
He added that some groups remained silent during Duterte’s violent anti-drug campaign, possibly due to the administration’s actions against those who opposed it.
Abante also pointed out that major drug lords, such as Michael Yang and the two brothers exposed by Col. Eduardo Acierto, were neither captured nor charged under the drug war operations.