Garma links police officer to killing of Tanauan Mayor Halili 

Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma said that a certain police lieutenant colonel bragged about being involved in the killing of former Tanauan, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili. 

She made the revelation after Sta. Cruz, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez asked her about other personalities who have been killed during the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

Garma said the late mayor was shot dead in 2018. She admitted that she heard rumors of Philippine National Police (PNP) operatives having a hand in the extrajudicial killings in the past administration. 

“Tsismis lang kasi, Mr. Chair. During that time po sa war on drugs, pwede pong tumawid yung mga operatives,” said Garma before the House Quad Committee on Friday. 

(It was just hearsays, Mr. Chair. During that time of war on drugs, operatives can go anywhere.) 

When Fernandez pressed Garma to speak further, she responded: “Pinagmalaki kasi ng isa sir eh, na sila.” 

(He was bragging that it was them who did it.) 

Garma told the committee the name of a certain police lieutenant colonel in Region. 

“Pinagmalaki niya sa akin noon. ‘Oh talaga? How did you do it?’ Mga kilala niya mga kasama niya,” she said. 

(He was bragging about that before. ‘Oh really? How did you do it?’ He knows the people in the team.) 

“So it’s a team that killed Mayor Halili?” Fernandez asked. 

Garma said that it was the “reality on the ground” during the Duterte administration. 

"According to him, Mr. Chair. During that time kasi kapag mayroon ng grapevine, it would appear na it is an operation, nagkakaroon ng code of silence,” she said.

(According to him, Mr. Chair. During that time when there is a grapevine, it would appear that it is an operation, so there would be a code of silence.) 

“It’s real talk, Mr. Chair sa PNP. Tahimik na, matatakot na yung iba. Matatakot na rin even RDs (regional directors)…..It became a culture.” 

(It’s a real talk in PNP, Mr. Chair. Everyone would just be quiet as others would be afraid to speak about it. Even the regional directors were afraid to speak up….It became a culture.) 

Following Garma’s revelation, Fernandez asked the committee to invite the lieutenant colonel in the next hearing of the QuadComm.—NB, GMA Integrated News