MANILA, Philippines – House Quad Committee Chairperson Rep. Robert Ace Barbers has vowed to push for stronger legislative reforms to prevent future injustices.

Barbers expressed concern over what he described as a “gross miscarriage of justice” during the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. He cited the convictions of businessman Mark Taguba, warehouse guard Fidel Anoche Dee, and former Bureau of Customs employee Jimmy Guban, noting significant gaps in evidence against them.

He argued that “fall guys” were convicted, while the true masterminds behind the billion-peso drug smuggling operations remain free.

“Ang mga pagpuslit ng tone-toneladang droga na nagkakahalaga ng mahigit P12B na ibinintang sa mga maliliit na tao ay isang kahina-hinalang hakbang upang pagtakpan ang mga tunay na may kinalaman,” Barbers said.

The lawmaker highlighted Taguba’s conviction for facilitating the entry of containers allegedly without knowledge of their illegal contents and Dee’s imprisonment for receiving drug shipments as part of a “controlled delivery” by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Barbers emphasized that the true masterminds were not held accountable, questioning the absence of charges against higher-ranking officials and influential individuals.

“Hinahanap ng Quad Comm ang hustisya. Hinahanap namin ang tunay na may-ari ng droga,” Barbers stated.

He further stressed the importance of legislative reforms in preventing similar injustices in the future.

“Sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatibay pa ng mga batas, maiiwasan natin ang injustice,” Barbers said, adding that the committee plans to review unresolved cases of extrajudicial killings and other related incidents.

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