Garma says sorry; EJK victims' kin want truth

The families of the victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) challenged retired police Colonel Royina Garma to reveal everything she knew after she apologized for her role in the drug war when she was still regional police chief.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Maki Pulido, Garma said sorry to the families of EJK victims being part of the anti-illegal drug drive as director of the Philippine National Police in Cebu City.

“I am very sorry in behalf of my men na nagkamali sa into (who wronged you). I’m very sorry, but I cannot control all of them. lahat sila trained police officer, alam nila ang rules of engagement (They are all trained police officers, they know the rules of engagement,)” Garma said.

During the House Quad Committee, Garma said former President Rodrigo Duterte asked her to look for an officer who could implement the "Davao model" of the war on drugs on a national scale, a system where one is rewarded up to P1 million for killing drug suspects. 

The relatives of the drug war victims, however, said Garma should do more than apologize.

"Nasusukol na siya kaya pero sa aming mga pamilya hindi pa rin kami maniniwala ng lubos doon at hinahamon pa rin namin siya na sabihin pa kung ano katotohan," Llore Pasco, mother on an EJK victim, said.

(She's being cornered, that's why. But we don't completely believe her and we challenge her to tell the truth.) 

Two of Pasco’s sons were taken and their bodies were found in Quezon City the following day.

The police then told Pasco that it was a legitimate operation.

Salvacion Ramos, mother of another victim, added, "Sabihin niya lahat lahat ng involved as EJK na 'yan kasi marami sila (She should tell who are those involved in EJK because there are many.)

Ramos shared how her daughter was killed at the height of the drug war.

“Babae pa anak ko hindi nila pinatawad humihingi na ng saklolo anak ko wala ako magawa,” mother Salvacion Ramos said.

(My daughter was not spared. She was asking for help but I cannot do anything.)

On Feb. 18, 2017, four men wearing a bonnet dragged Ramos’ eldest child Cristeta out of their house where she was shot three times in the head.

“Wasak na wasak po ang ulo ng anak ko mam hindi ko siya mayakap. Ginawa ko kumuha ako kumot binalot ko ulo ng anak ko para maakap ko siya,” Ramos said.

(My daughter’s head was damaged. I can't hug her. I wrapped my daughter’s head with a blanket so I could hug her.)

Ramos is one of the family members who lost their loved ones under the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

The government previously logged more than 6,000 individuals who died during the six-year implementation of the program.

The Duterte administration usually said the police defended themselves as some resisted authority.

However, there were EJK cases.

One of them is Kian delos Santos, who was accused of being a drug pusher and was shot on August 16, 2017 by the police as he allegedly resisted the drug operation.

But CCTV footage showed that Delos Santos was dragged by the police before being shot.

Three of the police involved in the killing of Delos Santos were guilty of murder.

“Masakit sa kin na naririnig ko na grabe ginawang pagplano para magkaroon ng malawakang patayan. Sana walang mga batang naulila ngayon sana buhay ang mga taong ito,” said Randy delos Santos, the uncle of Kian.

(It hurts to hear that they planned to implement a nationwide killing. There would have been no orphaned children today, these children would have been alive today.)—Mariel Celine Serquiña/LDF, GMA Integrated News