QuadComm: Leonardo hinted at discussing rewards in drug war

Former National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo has reportedly indicated an intention to testify on the story of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma about cash rewards for killings in the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

This developed after one of the chairmen among the four House committees investigating the war on drugs said that Garma's revelation needed corroboration to have value.

"We had an initial talk... He asked that we talk to him. Initially speaking, mayroon na siyang tinatawag na intensyon na, okay, sasabihin na niya 'yung iba in detail," Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante said as regards Leonardo.

Leonardo has resigned from the Napolcom amid the inquiry.

(Initially speaking, he has an intention to, okay, talk about the other details.)

"Although we are not sure about that. It's up to him,” he added.

Abante is the chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, the chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said Garma's testimony on how President Rodrigo Duterte wanted the killing of drug personalities rewarded with cash had to be supported by other people's statements.

“Iniintay natin na merong mag-corroborate na ibang witnesses para nang sa ganun,  magkaroon ng bigat yung kanyang revelation," Barbers said.

"Hindi naman ibig sabihin na kapag siya ay nag-reveal o nagbigay, nagsumite ng affidavit sa amin ay paniniwalaan natin [agad ng] 100%,” he added.

(We are waiting for another witness so her revelations would have weight. We cannot take every testimony as gospel truth just because it was submitted to us.)

Barbers was referring to the Davao model discussed by Garma before the House Quad Committee investigation on drug war deaths wherein Garma said that the reward per drug suspect killed, depending on the profile, ranges from P20,000 to P1 million per head.

Before she became a PSCO official, Garma was a police official in Cebu and Davao.

“There must be a testimony from another witness na mag-kokoroborate dito. Or mayroon itong [sinabi ni Garma na] documentary evidence na pwedeng i-submit sa committee na magcocoroborate din ng kanyang revelation,” Barbers said.

(Her testimony should be corroborated by another witness or another documentary evidence that will reflect what she said.)

Barbers said that the House Quad Comm was inclined to invite the personalities mentioned by Garma such as the former President, Senator Bong Go, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, and a certain Muking who is affiliated to then Special Assistant to the President Go.,

“We took note of all these names so that we will invite them in the next Quadcom hearings,” Barbers said.

Garma earlier said, "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." 

House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela party-list representative Arlene Brosas called on the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit on the police’s funds given Garma’s revelations of a reward money per kill in the police’s anti-drug operations.

"These disturbing revelations necessitate a thorough investigation. If the reward system truly reached up to P1 million per killing, the potential misuse of funds could have amounted to billions, turning Oplan Double Barrel into Oplan Pork Barrel," Brosas said.

Given the huge money involved since the government has recognized that around 6,000 drug suspects were killed in police operations, Brosas said such an illegal reward system is also a likely avenue for money laundering and other corrupt practices associated with the funding of the war on drugs.

“Lumalabas sa sinabi ni Garma na totoong maraming inosenteng tao ang pinatay ng mga pulis para lang makakuha ng cash reward. The Filipino people deserve to know if their taxes were used to incentivize such violence and if illegal financial activities were conducted under the guise of law enforcement,” Brosas said.

(It seems so many innocent Filipinos were killed just so these police officials would get a cash reward.)

“Justice has been denied to the victims’ families for far too long. We demand that the truth be uncovered, and those responsible be held accountable," she added.

When Garma made her revelations last week, she was in the room of mothers of children killed during the war on drugs.

Garma apologized to the mothers in tears ahead of her revelation that it was Duterte who wanted a Davao model for anti-drug operations nationwide, saying she could not control the actions of all police officials.

“I am very sorry in behalf of my men na nagkamali sa inyo,” Garma said.

(I am very sorry on behalf of those who wronged you.)

“I'm very sorry, but I cannot control all of them. All of them are trained police officers, they know the rules of engagement. But once you are on the ground, you will always use your discretion. At nakita ko rin naman, inaamin ko may nagkakamali,” Garma said.

(I have also seen there were errors on their part, and I admit that.) —NB, GMA Integrated News