Affidavit of Royina Garma on Davao-style rewards in war on drugs

In tears, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma told the House Quad Committee how former President Rodrigo Duterte asked her to look for a police official who would implement the Davao model in the war on drugs on a nationwide scale.

The model involved cash rewards for every kill. Upon questioning by Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel, Garma said the biggest reward given for a killing related to the war on drugs was P1 million.

The following is her affidavit: 

FULL TEXT:

I, ROYINA GARMA, of legal age, single, and currently detained at the House of Representatives, Manila, after having been duly sworn in accordance with the law, do hereby depose and state the following:

1. On September 12, 2024, and September 27, 2024, I was invited to serve as a resource person during the recent legislative inquiry conducted by the Joint Committee on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts of the Honorable House of Representatives (Quad Com) regarding the investigation into the war on drugs of the previous administration.

2. During these hearings, I was asked several questions concerning my knowledge or involvement in the deaths of three Chinese inmates at the Davao Penal Colony and the death of Gen. Wesley Barayuga, all focusing on the alleged extrajudicial killings of the aforementioned individuals.

3. I was also questioned about my relationship with the former President, as well as my career as a police officer and my tenure as General Manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

4. Throughout the hearings, I answered questions from the committee based on my personal knowledge, however, I did so with great apprehension, as I recognized that my statements on national television could significantly endanger my life, the safety of my family, and others close to me.

5. After considerable reflection, I am now executing this affidavit to provide comprehensive information to the Quad Com regarding everything I personally know about the war on drugs during the former administration.

6. In May 2016, I received a call from then-President Rodrigo Duterte at approximately 5:00 AM, instructing me to meet him at his residence in Dona Luisa, Davao.

7. I was already acquainted with then-Mayor Duterte, having served as a Station Commander in one of the police stations in Davao during his tenure.

8. During our meeting, he requested that I locate a Philippine National Police (PNP) officer or operative who is a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, indicating that he needed someone capable of implementing the War on Drugs on a national scale, replicating the Davao model. This Davao Model referred to the system involving payment and rewards.

8.1 The Davao Model involves three levels of payments or rewards. First is the reward if the suspect is killed. Second is the funding of planned operations (or COPLANS). Third is the refund of operational expenses.

9. Initially, I informed President Duterte that I was unaware of any individual with those qualifications, as I had not been assigned outside of Davao nor had I served in a national capacity within the PNP.

10. However, I recalled my upperclassman Edilberto Leonardo, who was handling the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and was also a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo. I mentioned his name to the President.

11. On the same day, a certain individual named "Muking" contacted me by phone to request Leonardo's contact details, which I promptly provided.

12. A week later, I learned from Arthur Narsolis via phone call that Leonardo had been summoned by the President and was instructed to proceed to the Mandaya Hotel in Davao for a meeting.

13. Leonardo informed me that he stayed at the hotel for three days, during which the President directed him to organize a task force similar to the PAOCTF.

14. When Leonardo relayed this information and urged me to join the task force, I declined, citing my lack of experience in handling such operations.

15. Leonardo subsequently informed me that he had prepared a proposal, routed through Bong Go, outlining the task force's operations, which would encompass Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

16. He also inquired if he and his classmates could have a courtesy call with President Duterte through Bong Go for photo opportunities.

17. Considering this, I thought it prudent to invite my classmates Baccay, Vilela, Grijaldo, Tuzon, and Duenas to join the courtesy call.

18. The members of Class 97 PNPA and Class 96 PNPA were accommodated in separate rooms at the DPWH office in Panacan, Davao. The President did not enter our room, and I was unaware if he visited the room of Class 97.

19. After the courtesy call, Leonardo informed me that the structure of the intended task force would undergo changes.

20. In June 2016, Leonardo was transferred from Manila to assume the position of Chief of the CIDG in Region 11.

21. During the initial three months of his assignment, I facilitated all meetings between Leonardo and Bong Go at Leonardo's request. Subsequently, they established direct communication.

22. Leonardo informed me that he had recalled several trusted personnel, namely Lester Berganio, Rommel Bactat, Rodel Cerbo, Michael Palma, and Peter Parungo, to serve as operatives for the task force. Notably, Rommel Bactat, Rodel Cerbo, and Michael Palma were discharged police officers.

22.1 Rommel Bactat, Rodel Cerbo, and Michael Palma were all former police officers stationed at the CIDG 11 Office. They were discharged from service on or about a year ago due to an operation that led to the killing of one (1) individual. Lester Berganio is a provide citizen, while Peter Parungo was a former detainee in CIDG due to a charge of rape that has since been cleared.

22.2 Rommel Bactat, Rodel Cerbo, Michael Palma, and Peter Parungo were charged with the task of collecting and verifying information provided by police officers in the field concerning arrests and/or deaths of individuals named in the list of drug personalities, and creating a summary report. All of these reports would then be encoded and compiled by Lester Berganio. The compilation is thereafter elevated to Leonardo who will decide what "Level" the arrest and/or killing was and its corresponding reward. Rewards were only given for killings, while for arrests, only the funding of the COPLAN and a refund for the expenses was given.

22.3 I saw how these individuals operated when I would visit the CIDG Office in Region 11 to see my friend Lotlot.

23. He conveyed that the task force would be structured differently and that he submitted a document to Bong Go detailing the task force's operations, including an overview of the current drug landscape in the Philippines.

24. I was informed that the drug structure originated from BUCOR, where numerous drug lords are currently incarcerated, and that it has three branches (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao), with Peter Lim involved in the Visayas Region.

25. Once the task force became operational, I later learned that all COPLAN funds, refunds for operational expenses, and rewards for agents were processed through the bank accounts of Peter Parungo at Metrobank, BDO, and PS Bank. Concurrently, Lester Berganio maintained a comprehensive list of drug personalities in the Philippines.

26. Leonardo conducted briefings for all PDEA, IG, Regional Directors, and PNP Chiefs regarding operations. Additionally, if any individual died during police operations, Leonardo reported the incident to Bong Go for inclusion in his weekly report and requests for refunds of operational expenses.

27. Leonardo had the final authority to determine who would be included on the list of drug personalities and to classify their threat levels, as well as the discretion to remove individuals from the list.

28. Furthermore, in 2016, while I was at the CIDG office following up on personnel appointments, I overheard Padilla discussing drug activities at the Davao Penal Colony with Leonardo. Padilla specifically identified certain BUCOR officers involved in the drug trade, notably mentioning an officer named "Guinto," who was subsequently killed along with other Bucor members.

29. These are the critical facts I personally know regarding the drug war of the previous administration. I am prepared to provide additional details and information in a supplemental affidavit or during an executive session, at the discretion of the Committee.

30.I affirm the truthfulness and accuracy of the above statements to assist in the investigation by the Joint Committee on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights, and Public Accounts of the Honorable House of Representatives (Quad Com).

SUBSCRSIBED AND SWORN to in my presence, this of October 2024, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, by ROYINA GARMA, who showed to me as proof of her identity, her I.D. with No.

—NB/ VAL, GMA Integrated News