Libanan urges Marcos for drug war probe panel

House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan called on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to establish an independent fact-finding commission to investigate extrajudicial killings linked to the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

Libanan urged the president to form a panel similar to the Agrava Fact-Finding Board, which would operate independently of both the executive and legislative branches.

Political analyst Arjan P. Aguirre suggested that creating an independent body through legislation could insulate it from political influence and ensure its credibility in investigating government agencies involved in the drug war.

The House Quad Committee is currently probing alleged extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration's campaign, with former Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) general manager Royina Garma testifying about an organized reward system for officers involved.

Experts like Mr. Aguirre and Anthony Lawrence Borja argue that a domestic approach might be more acceptable to Filipinos who are wary of foreign interference, while the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers has urged Mr. Marcos to submit findings to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for justice.