Families of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) receive the cremated remains of their loved ones during the 12th "Daluyan Ng Paghilom" at the Sacred Heart Parish Shrine, in Quezon City on Thursday. The six cremated remains, which were blessed and turned over to their immediate family, were part of the exhumed and re-autopsied bodies of the drug war victims. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The House Quad Committee will investigate the possible source of the alleged reward money for police officers who killed drug suspects during the previous administration's war on drugs.

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Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, and panel co-chairperson, said they are verifying information on the source of the funds. 

"Merong pronouncement dati ang dating pangulo na meron siyang pinaggagamitan sa kanyang intelligence funds (The former president had a pronouncement that he was using his intelligence funds for something). But again it's really very hard to look into the full of disclosure of intelligence funds. We'll probably look into disbursement of these funds and where the source might probably be, other than intelligence funds," Barbers said. 

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He said there are many potential sources of the supposed reward money, with some saying it came from confidential and intelligence funds of the Office of the President or from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Barbers added they will also look into other fund sources outside government. 

"Ngayon dumami ang [Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators], probably galing din sa POGO," he said.

(Now, there are a lot of POGOs, so it probably came from POGO too)

The quad comm is also looking into issues related to POGOs.

Barbers acknowledged it has yet to find evidence of the supposed fudn sources.

"We're still seeking and looking deeper into the fund source because we want to get to the bottom of the issue of reward money," Barbers added. 

The lawmaker said that while law enforcement agencies have intelligence funds, it was only used for gathering information on personalities. 

"There is no legal basis for the government to provide reward money for the kill," he said, adding rewards from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are for tipsters and not for law enforcement personnel.

"This is given, this is legal, this is budgeted every year for informants, assets that will give information for successful prosecution."

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Barbers said they will also look into how the supposed reward money is given.

Santa Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, a co-chair in the quad comm, on Tuesday made similar remarks.

Fernandez said they will look at the timing of the release of intelligence funds of the Office of the President starting 2016. 

Former Police Col. Royina Garma, who was appointed PCSO general manager when she left the police force, earlier testified in the panel's investigation that the reward ranges from P20,000 to P1 million. 

Garma's testimony also corroborated the earlier statement of Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido who said there was a "quota and reward system" during the Duterte drug war. 

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Former Special Assistant to the President and now Senator Christopher "Bong" Go as well as former PNP officials have denied the existence of a reward system in the war on drugs. 

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Fernandez also reiterated the marathon hearings are not a demolition job against officials of Duterte administration and no witnesses were coerced to testify. 

TOPIC OF NEXT HEARING? 

Barbers said they will decide by Wednesday what topic they will focus on during the ninth Quad Comm hearing on October 22.

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"We might probably take up [extrajudicial killings]. Because in the last hearing si Colonel Royina Garma had disclosed, has revealed several personalities that are probably involved in the reward money system that was implemented in the war against drugs," Barbers added. 

The House Quad Comm co-chair said there is no definite timeline yet for the conclusion of their marathon hearings. 

However, they expect the partial committee report to be submitted soon. 

"We're meeting tomorrow kasi. We will come up with a draft and we will all agree whether we will submit it next week. The latest would be pag resume ng Congress on November 4. Tama naman na magkaroon na kami ng partial report," Barbers said.

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