House Committee on Human Rights Chair Benny Abante reiterated that the objective of the Committee’s ongoing hearings on the previous administration’s war on illegal drugs is to obtain the truth surrounding the alleged extrajudicial killings committed in the campaign against illegal drugs and to ensure that justice is served.
Quoting Amos 5:24, Abante said, “but let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”
“This passage reminds us that our ultimate goal here is to uphold justice––and that in the end, justice will prevail,” the veteran legislator stressed.
“If history has taught us anything, it is that evil never goes unpunished.”
“If history has taught us anything, it is that evil never goes unpunished. As the late Martin Luther King Jr. said, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
He said that the Committee continues to strive to obtain all the facts in order to ascertain the truth.
Abante stressed that the Committee’s aim “has always been to ensure transparency, accountability, and the protection of human rights.”
“To achieve this, we have sought to invite all those who can shed light on the different facets of this issue––which is why it is regrettable that, despite the assurances this Committee has given, some key personalities have not taken the opportunity to air their side on the issues that have been raised,” he explained.
“The Committee does not want to be one-sided.”
Abante added that “the Committee does not want to be one-sided, and to avoid this we have endeavored to hear all sides. As I have frequently reiterated, the integrity of this inquiry depends on obtaining all the facts and hearing all the perspectives.”
“To this end, we have striven to provide a fair and balanced platform for all voices to be heard, as we recognize that justice can be obtained only when all relevant information and necessary viewpoints are considered and processed,” he said.
“Our work here is proof of our commitment to uncover the truth and to exact accountability. It is evidence of our commitment to ensure that the rights and dignity of every individual are respected––of our commitment to uphold human rights,” Abante concluded.
