Instead of diverting real issues, a lawyer-lawmaker today said the Duterte family should accord the Filipino people the courtesy of a categorical answer as to their alleged involvement in illegal drugs and the extrajudicial killings during the anti-drug war of the Duterte administration that killed 27,000 Filipinos.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua stated that witnesses such as former police officer Eduardo Acierto have come forward in congressional hearings to accuse former President Rodrigo Duterte, and their close allies of alleged direct or indirect involvement in illegal drugs.

“As past and present government officials, it is the duty of the Dutertes to accord the Filipino people the respect that they deserve and answer these serious allegations of connections to illegal drugs and the extrajudicial killings,” Chua said.

“Because what has happened so far is just political deflection. The recent controversial ‘designated survivor’ statement of Vice President Sara Duterte is a prime example of this. As the issue hangs over the heads of the Duterte family, instead of answering directly, they deflect the issue,” he added.

Giving a categorical answer of their alleged involvement in illegal drugs, Chua said, is especially relevant given that Acierto accused Duterte’s former economic adviser, Michael Yang, as a suspected drug lord who enjoyed protection during the administration of the former president.

The House Committee on Dangerous Drugs has recently ordered the arrest of Yang along with others named in the congressional inquiry into the P3.6 billion drug bust in Mexico Pampanga.

“Idinawit yung economic adviser mo sa drugs, tapos you don’t confront the issue head-on? It defies human experience if they will continue to ignore the issue and pursue political deflection as a strategy,” Chua expressed.

Another previous statement of VP Duterte that was meant to deflect the allegations against her family is when she announced that former President Duterte and her brothers, Davao City Mayor Baste and Rep. Pulong Duterte will run for the Senate in 2025.

“They are neglecting their duty to the people, and they are setting a very poor example to those in public service. What happened to integrity and honesty among government officials?” Chua stressed.

He also referred to the statements of self-confessed former member of the infamous Davao Death Squad Arturo Lascañas, who accused the former president of allegedly being a drug lord himself and staging a “fake” drug war where 27,000 Filipinos were killed.

“It defies human experience why anyone would not want to answer serious allegations such as these. The right thing to do is deny it if it is not true. But instead of answering all allegations, they deflect and stir controversy somewhere else,” Chua said.

Lascañas told Vera Files that “Duterte is the lord of all drug lords in the Southern Philippines.. He is the most dangerous person in the southern hemisphere.”

During the previous hearings of the dangerous drugs panel, Acierto accused Yang, also implicated in the multi-billion Pharmally scandal, of being a suspected drug lord.

The former police officer also implicated Senators Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa of protecting Yang and other suspected drug lords.

Acierto named the other drug personalities Johnson Chua, Allan Lim and Allan Sy during the hearing, who were all invited by the committee chaired by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.