2 PDLs claim ex-Pres. Duterte ordered them to kill Chinese drug convicts

Two persons deprived of liberty (PDL) on Thursday said they killed three Chinese individuals convicted of drug charges on the orders of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The PDLs, identified as Fernando Magdadaro and Leopoldo Tan Jr. made the claim during a House probe on Thursday. 

Both Magdadaro and Tan said that back when they were still detained in the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in 2016, police officials asked them to kill the three Chinese drug convicts who were also detained in the Davao Prison & Penal Farm in exchange for P1 million and their freedom.

“Ang sabi po sa akin, may basbas sa taas ‘yan,” Tan said.

(I was told that this has the go ahead of those in power.)

Magdadaro and Tan said they were able to kill all three Chinese individuals by stabbing them simultaneously on the night of August 13, 2016.

“Habang naglalakad kami papuntang Investigation Section [pagkatapos naming patayin ang mga Chinese], tumunog ang cellphone ni Superintendent Padilla. Nakita ko na pinindot ni Superintendent Padilla ang kanyang cellphone," recalled Tan.

(While we were walking to the Investigation Section after the deed, Superintendent Padilla answered a call from his cellphone.)

"Nadinig ko na sinabi nung tumawag kay Superintendent Padilla, "Congrats Superintendent Padilla, job well done...  Alam ko na ang kausap ni Superintendent Padilla ay si Presidente Duterte dahil pamilyar ko ang boses nya,” Tan claimed.

(I heard someone congratulating him for a job well done. I know he was talking to then President Duterte because I know his voice.)

GMA News Online has reached out to the camp of former President Rodrigo Duterte and will publish his comment as soon as it becomes available.

“Pagkatapos ng tawag, sabi ni Superintendent Padilla sa mga kasamahan niya doon, "tumawag si Presidente, nag-congrats sa akin." Dahil sa sinabing ito ni Superintendent Padilla kaya lalo akong napaniwala na ang tumawag sa kanya ay si Presidente Duterte,” Tan added.

(After the call, Superintendent Padilla told his fellow police officials that the President called and congratulated me. Because of what he said, I was convinced that it was indeed, President Duterte, who made the call.) 

Anger

Magdadaro, for his part, lamented the police officials who commissioned them for the kill job never delivered on their promise of freedom.

“Hinintay namin yung pinangakong paglaya namin pero hanggang ngayon kami pa rin ay nasa loob ng kulungan. Ibinibigay ko itong salaysay na ito dahil sa galit ko sa kanila,” Magdadaro said.

(We were waiting for the freedom they promised us but we are still languishing in prison. I am testifying out of anger.)

“Ang lahat ng sinabi ko sa salaysay na ito ay pawang katotohanan lamang at walang sino man ang nagturo o nagimpluwensya at alam ko rin na maaring gamitin laban or pabor sa akin,” Magdadaro added.

(I only told you the truth and nobody coached or influenced me to do this. I am also fully aware that this could work in favor or against me.) 

House Senior Deputy Speaker Dong Gonzales of Pampanga then made a motion to invite the former President Rodrigo Duterte to the probe “to shed light on this matter.”

Gonzales’ motion was carried without objection. 

Demolition job

In June, Duterte's former spokesperson Harry Roque said that the former Chief Executive will not attend the probe.

“As guaranteed by our Bill of Rights, Congress cannot compel former President Duterte to be a witness against himself,” Roque said.

“Our former President firmly believes that the Lower House is not the proper forum to investigate any criminal allegation against him,” he added.

Meanwhile, Duterte's former spokesman and presidential legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, described the allegations as a demolition job which he said is now in "full swing."

"The enemies of FPRRD are using convicted felons of murders and drug trafficking to link him to the murders of the 3 Chinese detainees of which they were the perpetrators on the basis of their bare allegations," Panelo said. 

''Obviously, they [are] making those statements for a consideration. If it is true as they say that they killed the 3 Chinese in exchange for money and release from prison, necessarily they can lie about FPRRD’s alleged link to the murders for the same consideration of money and freedom coming from those who want to destroy the Dutertes,'' Panelo said.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News