Manila 6th District Representative Benny Abante has been reelected as chair of the House Committee on Human Rights, vowing to push for the passage of critical legislation and to continue the fight for justice and accountability.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue the work we started. There is still much we need to do,” said Abante, who led the panel during the 19th Congress and served as a co-chair of the Quad Committee investigating extrajudicial killings, illegal drugs, and POGOs.
“We were able to reveal many truths in the last Congress. But now we must work to ensure that these truths lead to justice.”
According to the veteran legislator and pastor, “we were able to reveal many truths in the last Congress. But now we must work to ensure that these truths lead to justice.”
The seasoned lawmaker said that among his legislative priorities is the passage of a law classifying extrajudicial killings as heinous crimes—a landmark measure that was filed in the 19th Congress following revelations during the Quad Committee hearings.
“Kinapos po tayo ng oras last Congress, but we will endeavor to pass this measure in the 20th Congress. We owe it to the families of the victims. We owe it to future generations of Filipinos. We cannot allow this tragedy to repeat itself,” he explained.
Abante also expressed hope that the Quad Committee would continue its work in the 20th Congress.
“The long arm of the law has not been cut off—it is only drawing back to strike at the right time.”
“If there are those who think they have escaped the clutches of the law, they are mistaken. The long arm of the law has not been cut off—it is only drawing back to strike at the right time,” he warned.
Quoting Ecclesiastes 8:12–13, Abante added, “though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God… But it shall not be well with the wicked.”
“We are not driven by vengeance, but by the conviction that there can be no peace without justice, and no justice without truth,” he added.
Abante stressed that the House panel would hold the line against abuse, uphold the dignity of every Filipino, and help restore faith in the Rule of Law.
“We are not done. The work continues—and by God’s grace, we will finish what we started,” he concluded.
