BuCor exec confirms Duterte call congratulating him for 2016 kill job

Bureau of Corrections' (BuCor) Senior Superintendent Gerardo Padilla on Thursday confirmed during a congressional inquiry that former President Rodrigo Duterte had called him up to congratulate him for the killing of three Chinese drug convicts in 2016. 

Padilla made the testimony during the ongoing House investigation on the drug war deaths during the Duterte administration.

"Pinapatotohanan ko ang sinabi ni Tata na noong papunta kami sa investigation section ay tumunog ang cellphone ko, at ito ay sinagot ko. Ang tumawag sa akin ay si dating Presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte at sinabing, ‘Congrats, Superintendent Padilla, job well done'," Padilla said in his supplemental affidavit dated September 9 that he also read during the hearing.

(I confirm what Tata had said that my cellphone rang when we went to the investigation section and I answered it. It was former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte who called me and he said, 'Congrats, Superintendent Padilla, job well done'.) 

Padilla was referring to the affidavit and testimony earlier made before lawmakers by person deprived of liberty Leopoldo Tan Jr., who said Duterte called Padilla after himself and fellow inmate Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro killed the Chinese convicts on August 13, 2016 inside the Davao Prison and Penal Farm.

At the time, Padilla was chief of the penal farm. 

The three Chinese convicts were identified as Chu Kin Tung, also known as Tony Lim; Li Lan Yan, alias Jackson Li; and Wong Meng Pin, alias Wang Ming Ping. 

"Pagkatapos akong tawagan ni dating Presidente Duterte, sinabihan ko ang mga kasama ko na, ‘Tumawag si Presidente, nag-congrats sa akin’," Padilla told the hearing.

(After former President Duterte called me, I told my companions, 'The President called congratulating me'.)

Padilla initially denied that Duterte called him to congratulate him on the kill job on the Chinese convicts. He, however, said he only made the denial over fears for his family’s safety.

"I was forced to deny the phone call because I fear for the security and safety of my family and myself," Padilla said.

GMA News Online has reached out to Duterte's former spokesman and presidential legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, for comment on Padilla's testimony but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

Panelo earlier described the allegations against Duterte 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," he added. —KBK, GMA Integrated News