House quad committee probe produces 5 bills

MANILA, Philippines — Inquiries of the House of Representatives quad committee have led to the drafting of five measures addressing extrajudicial killings, offshore gaming operations, land fraud, identity falsification and espionage.

At the 15th and final hearing of the special panel yesterday, officials highlighted legislative measures following their probes of suspected Chinese spy Alice Guo, Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) and the bloody war on drugs of the previous Duterte administration.

“We have heard accounts that chilled the soul – of lives discarded like refuse, of uniforms used to conceal lawlessness, of badges used as instruments of fear,” Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said, reading the speech of Manila Rep. Benny Abante.

“Through our work, we have reminded every evildoer, every coward in uniform, every merchant of death and deceit: your time is over,” he added.

Measures formed out of the quad comm probes were House Bill 10986, which classifies extrajudicial killing as a heinous crime and provides reparations to the families of victims; HB 10987, which prohibited POGOs; HB 11043, which provides for the civil forfeiture of real estate unlawfully acquired by foreign nationals; HB 11117, which empowers the state to cancel fraudulently obtained birth certificates and HB 10998, which penalizes conspiracy and proposal to commit espionage.