Garma tells of Davao Death Squad, own cash reward experiences

Retired Police Colonel Royina Garma on Tuesday night told the House QuadComm about the "Davao Death Squad" and her experiences on the cash rewards system for the killing of crime suspects when she was a police officer in the city.

Just two weeks ago, Garma told the four committees investigating the Duterte administration's war on drugs that former President Rodrigo Duterte wanted the nationwide implementation of the Davao model to reward the killing of drug personalities with money.

This developed as former Police Colonel Edilberto Leonardo, on the questioning of Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, answered "yes" when asked if he believed Garma's affidavits on the nationwide reward system and the Davao experiences.

"I became aware of the so-called 'Davao Death Squad' through various sources during my assignment in Davao," Garma said in her second affidavit in as many hearings of the House QuadComm.

She said that the DDS was common knowledge among officers that almost all station commanders had special teams designated for specific operations.

"Although I did not know the identities of these teams, a culture of silence prevailed among police officers in Davao regarding such matters," Garma said.

Garma narrated the time when she was the station commander of Sasa and she received P20,000 after an "Akyat Bahay" suspect was killed in a police operation.

When she was the station commander of Sta. Ana, Garma said she also received P20,000 after the killing of another suspected thief.

Garma said all station commanders were required at the end of each month to submit reports on successful police operations to the Davao local government.

She said that each case was allocated P5,000 as reimbursement for operational expenses such as buy-bust cash, meals, gasoline, and payments for agents.

Garma said the funds were disbursed monthly "and we were required to sign documents acknowledging receipt of payment." 

She said station commanders received P20,000 for the deaths of suspects "with no signed documentation required." 

"Numerous other incidents resulting in deaths within Davao City occurred of which I remained unaware until after the investigations were completed," Garma said.

"A prevailing 'culture of silence' was instilled among all station commanders and city directors," she added.

Earlier in the inquiry, former Senator Leila de Lima claimed that former President Rodrigo Duterte's "reward system," as revealed by Garma, for police officials who kill criminal suspects was "deeply rooted."

De Lima said that Duterte's "Davao model" has been implemented during his long tenure as mayor of the city.

De Lima said that when she investigated the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS) during her time as Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson, they discovered that "DDS hitmen" were paid around P15,000 for each killing. Of this, P5,000 went to police handlers, and P10,000 was split among the assassins.—Vince Ferreras/NB, GMA Integrated News