Barbers: Caramat expected to testify in House probe on POGO, EJKs

The House committees conducting a probe into the alleged links of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) crimes to extrajudicial killings (EJKs) under the Duterte administration expect Police Major General Romeo Caramat Jr. to attend their hearings. 

House dangerous drugs panel chairman Ace Barbers made the statement Friday, a day after Caramat supposedly offered a "tell-all"  in exchange for being appointed chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Well, we’re expecting top PNP officials to come to the hearing. Criminal syndicates or organizations launder and clean their money through these legal [POGO] businesses that they establish in the country," said Barbers.

"There’s the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) personnel, PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) officials, and some PNP generals, including General Caramat,” he added. 

The first hearing on the "quadruple committee probe" has been set for August 15.

Barbers said that while they are open to accepting testimonies about drug war killings in police operations and POGO-related crimes, they won’t accept witnesses who will testify in exchange for any incentive.

“So many people are sending feelers that they want to testify before the quadcom (quadruple committee). We welcome all those who want to tell the truth. It’s their choice to testify or give information in an open hearing, or in a [closed door] executive session if it has national security implications,” Barbers said.

“Pero wala pong kapalit [ang pagtestify]. Hindi po natin ito itotolerate, ‘yang [hihingi ng] mga kapalit. Gawin po natin para sa bayan, hindi para sa kanino man,” he added.

(Those who will testify must do so without waiting for something in return. We have zero tolerance for that. Let’s do this for our country, not for anybody.)

Barbers also dismissed the statement of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa that Caramat is being pressured by Marcos administration allies to testify against former President Rodrigo Duterte, dela Rosa, and several others by dangling the PNP chief post.

“Tungkol kay General Caramat, mukhang marites lang ‘yun [ni Senator dela Rosa],” Barbers told a news conference.

(That’s just pure gossip.)

“The Speaker of the House does not have the authority to appoint a PNP chief. That depends on the President’s trust and confidence [in the individual].''

Barbers suggested that dela Rosa attend the House probe.

“Ang amin po eh ‘yung katotohanan lang sa likod ng mga sindikatong ito. Ano itong mga sindikatong ito? Sino nga sumusuporta dito? Sino ang protector? Sino ang coddler ng mga sindikatong hindi ito na pinayagang mamayagpag itong mga iligal na gawain sa ating bansa?,” Barbers said.

(We just want to unearth the truth behind the syndicates here. Who are these syndicates? Who are coddling them? Who are protecting them so their illegal activities can continue in the country?)

“Itong usapin ng investigation sa EJK, eh, napakalaki po ng information na pwedeng maitulong ng ating senador…dahil during his time as chief PNP, dito po lumalabas na marami pong nagkaroon ng EJK. We would appreciate any information. In fact, magagamit natin yung kanyang wisdom, yung kanyang experience sa pagsusulat ng batas sa ganun, may iwasan na po itong mga ganito,” Barbers added, referring to dela Rosa, who is a former PNP chief.

(This probe on extrajudicial killings...the former PNP chief would be a big help in giving us information about this because it was during his time as PNP chief that these extrajudicial killings occurred. We will be able to use his wisdom and experience so we can prevent these crimes from happening again.)

In June, Caramat was a "no show" at the House committee on human rights hearing on EJKs, prompting the panel to issue a show cause order against him. —VAL/VBL, GMA Integrated News