Antonio Albano deputy speaker at the House of Representatives, Santa Rosa Laguna Congressman Dan Fernandez and Rep. Robert Ace Barbers Surigao del Norte, 2nd District  presides over the quad committee hearing on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights and Public Accounts as they share the head table with Rep. Robert Ace Barbers Surigao del Norte, 2nd District,  House senior deputy speaker Aurelio Dong Gonzales and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante as they hold its hearing at the Villa De Bacolor Convention Center in Bacolor Pampanga on August 16, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- Leaders of the House Quad Committee are convinced of the existence of an alleged “reward system” in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, following the testimony of former NAPOLCOM Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo affirming it. 

In Tuesday’s Quad Comm hearing, Leonardo said he believes there was such a scheme, since he heard about it. He also confirmed the two affidavits of former Police Officer and former PCSO General Manager Royina Garma, which provided details on the supposed “reward system” for cops, who killed drug suspects. 

Garma said the cash reward ranged from P20,000 to P1 million depending on the target.

Garma says Davao Death Squad existence 'common knowledge' among cops 

Former President Rodrigo Duterte, his former PNP Chief, Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, and former Special Assistant to the President, Sen. Bong Go previously denied this claim.

“Ang implication niyan is that na-establish namin ang katotohanan that the reward system actually happened. Whether tinanggihan ‘yan ng iba… but the thing is from Col. Espenido to Col. Padilla sa Davao, to Lt. Col. Mendoza sa pagpatay kay Barayuga, to Garma, and then now to Col. Leonardo, it has been established that actually there was a reward system. Hindi na pwedeng ‘yan ay tanggihan pa ng previous administration,” House Committee on Human Rights Chairperson Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. said. 

“Ang kanyang (Leonardo) pag-amin sa Quad Comm will be placed on the records, and this record that we will use as basis in writing our committee report, isasama namin ‘yun. ‘Pag pumasok ito sa concerned agencies like DOJ, the DOJ should do a more comprehensive, maybe preliminary investigation sa kanya. Maaaring i-compel siya to execute an affidavit,” House Quad Committee Lead Co-Chairperson Rep. Robert Ace Barbers added.

NBI at PNP, sanib-puwersa sa imbestigasyon sa pagpatay kay Barayuga

FREE GARMA? 

Former Cebu City Police Office Director PCOL Royina Garma answers questions from the Quad-Committee, which continues its fifth hearing at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on September 12, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN NewsThe House Quad Committee is considering to lift the contempt order against Garma, after she provided details on the alleged reward system in the previous administration’s war on drugs. 

Once the mega panel rules to lift the contempt order, Garma will be released from the custody of the House of Representatives. 

She was cited in contempt for supposedly lying and evading questions, and was ordered detained at the House of Representatives until the Quad Committee concludes its inquiry, or if the House or a court overturns the contempt citation.

PH National Police to investigate Garma's drug war claims 

“Anytime naman, we can lift it. We feel that majority of the members feel that we can already lift it because of certain conditions, maybe full cooperation… or we were able to exhaust all questions to her and we are already sufficiently being able to get the information that we want for us to complete our committee report,” Barbers said. 

“Mukha namang sincere siya sa kanyang binitawang salita na siya'y tutulong. At hindi naman siya makakatakas malamang dahil she has to face a lot of legal challenges na nangyayari sa kanya ngayon. Kagaya nitong preliminary investigation na ginagawa ng DOJ sa kanya and others. Apparently, maraming mga kasong kinakaharap siya sa ngayon. Now, pagka natapos namin ang aming committee report, we will definitely recommend the appropriate cases to be filed against them, including Garma, Leonardo, and the others,” he added. 

House Committee on Public Order and Safety Chairperson Rep. Dan Fernandez, however, said they are also considering Garma’s safety.

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