Ex-police official Garma denies hand in kill order vs. Chinese inmates

Retired police colonel Royina Garma on Thursday denied threatening a fellow police officer to get out of the way of a kill order on three Chinese individuals convicted of drug charges in August 2016.

Garma made the denial after former Davao Prison and Penal Farm officer-in-charge Gerardo Padilla told the ongoing House investigation into the drug war deaths during the Duterte administration that Garma ordered him, via phone call, not to interfere in the operations against three Chinese inmates convicted of drug offenses.

“Hindi po ako tumawag sa kanya, your Honor,” Garma said.

(I did not call Padilla.)

Prior to Padilla's linking Garma to the kill order, two Filipino inmates in Davao Prison told the House probe that it was then-President Rodrigo Duterte who issued the kill order on the three Chinese inmates.

Padilla also said that Garma was able to call him through Davao Prison and Penal Farm inmate Jimmy Fortaleza, who has known Garma since they were classmates at the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

Visit

Garma also talked about visiting inmate Fortaleza with two other PNPA classmates in July 206, but said they did not talk about any kill order o n the inmates.

“Naalala namin ang cadetship namin, mga kung ano-ano lang po [We reminisced about our cadetship, and other matters],” Garma said when asked what they talked about.

Asked if she called Fortaleza, Garma replied that she did not.

Given her adamant denials of her involvement in the kill order, the lawmakers asked Garma what motivation could Padilla and Fortaleza have in implicating her.

Garma, who also later served as general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) during the Duterte administration, replied that Padilla may be seeking a way out of trouble while Fortaleza may be after revenge since she was not able to help him get out of prison.

“Mr. Chair, during the first hearing, Padilla realized he is the most guilty. And then, he needs to find a way to escape from that,” Garma said.

“And as for Jimmy Fortaleza, I can remember, during our visitation, humingi siya ng tulong sa akin na makalabas siya [he asked for my help to get him out]. Presidential pardon or whatever. And I told him, I cannot do anything. Just hire a lawyer and file your application and submit it. But I'm not the one who decides on that. Siguro dahil hindi ko ko siya natulungan, posible [Maybe because I didn't help him, that's possible]," she added.

Garma said that she and the two other classmates also gave Fortaleza some money during the visit.

“Tinulungan namin siya [We helped him out],” Garma said.

Lawmakers confronted Forteleza with Garma’s denial. He disputed Garma, saying “we exchanged [mobile] numbers” during the visit.

At the same public hearing, Padilla also said that Garma planned the killings of the three Chinese individuals with then Colonel Edilberto Leonardo during a meeting with Davao Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) office.

Leonardo now serves as the commissioner of the National Police Commission.

“Pagdating ko sa [CIDG] station ay nandoon na si Colonel Garma. Kinausap ako ni Colonel Leonardo ng mga 30 minutes at sinabi na, ‘Papapatay na namin ang tatlong Chinese na nandoon sa Davao Prison and Penal Farm, mag-cooperate ka na lang.’ Habang kami ay nag-uusap ay pinangakuan ako ng promotion,” Padilla said.

(When I arrived at the CIDG station, Colonel Garma was there, and Colonel Leonardo talked to me for about 30 minutes and said to me that they will kill the Chinese inmates in Davao Prison and Penal Farm, and that I should just cooperate. They promised me promotion.)

Surigao del Sur Representative Johnny Pimentel asked Garma if what Padilla said was true. Garma replied, “No, your honor.”

Pimentel pressed on. “Colonel Garma, after your meeting with Colonel Padilla, ni Colonel Leonardo in CIDG, you ordered SPO4 Art Narsolis who is very close to you, to go to Leopoldo Tan who ordered them [inmates] to kill the Chinese, hindi po ba [isn't that right]?”

“No, your Honor,” said Garma.

Pimentel said he doubted Garma’s denials, pointing out that Padilla, Fortaleza and another inmate, Tan, had made sworn affidavits.

“It is very clear, Mr. Chair, that somebody is not telling the truth in this interpellation. And I believe that Colonel Garma, she is the director of this incident. She knows all about this,” he said.

“He had contacts with Jimmy Fortaleza. He had contacts with Colonel Padilla. These are stated in sworn affidavits. So I believe, Mr. Chair, that Colonel Garma is lying to her teeth,” he added.

The joint committee conducting the probe has cited Garma in contempt, with Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Stephen Paduano citing her supposed "lying and evading questions" when he made the motion. — BM, GMA Integrated News