Alleged Davao Death Squad, cash rewards 'not the norm,' PNP says

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said the alleged Davao Death Squad operations and cash reward system for killing drug suspects are not the norm in the police organization.

"We keep on telling this na this is not the norms ng buong organization (We keep on telling this that this is not among the norms of the entire organization)," PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing.

She made the statement when asked about the second affidavit of retired Police Colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general Royina Garma, wherein she shared her own experiences in relation to the supposed rewards system and the alleged Davao Death Squad.

"In fact no less than three former PNP chiefs have already denied the existence of such rewards systems," Fajardo said.

"The likes of Senator Bato dela Rosa, although his name is repeatedly being mentioned during the Quad Committee, [General Guillermo Eleazar] and [General Oscar Albayalde]—all of whom served during the [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte] administration. So we will leave it at that by now," she added.

Fajardo said the PNP, through the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), is now investigating the claims that were made during the House Quad Committee hearings into extrajudicial killings.

"On the part of the PNP, particularly the CIDG is really now in the process of collating all the information being revealed during the hearing in the Quad Committee as well as the Senate to further strengthen ang mga posibleng kasong isasampa natin dito sa mga sinasabing may kinalaman dito sinasabing mga killings, shooting incidents, as well as ang sinasabing reward system," she said.

(On the part of the PNP, particularly the CIDG, the police organization is really now in the process of collating all the information being revealed during the hearing in the Quad Committee, as well as the Senate to strengthen possible cases that we will file against those involved in the killings, shooting incidents, and the so-called reward system.)

Garma earlier told the QuadComm that former President Rodrigo Duterte wanted the nationwide implementation of the so-called "Davao model" that rewards the killing of drug personalities with money.

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

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.

Dutere has denied the allegations on the alleged reward system for killing drug suspects during his term. — VDV, GMA Integrated News