Retired SPO4 Sanson "Sonny" Buenaventura denies the allegation of retired PCol. Royina Garma that she received money from him as reward for extrajudicial killings. Screenshot of Quad Comm's live hearing 

QUEZON CITY – A cop who was the former bodyguard and driver of former President Rodrigo Duterte denied on Thursday the allegations he was involved in the  supposed reward system in the war on drugs.

READ: House Quad Comm leaders convinced of existence of alleged 'reward system' in Duterte drug war

SPO4 Sanson "Sonny" Buenaventura, who is also Duterte's alleged middleman to the Davao Death Squad, faced lawmakers for the first time at the House Quad Committee's public hearing.

"Sa mga sinasabi nila at lahat ng akusasyon idinawit nila sa akin, walang katotohanan lahat ng 'yun," Buenaventura said.

Self-confessed Davao Death Squad member and retired SPO3 Arturo Lascañas earlier alleged that Buenaventura relayed orders for the group's operations. Self-confessed hitman Edgar Matobato also identified Buenaventura as one of Duterte's men.

Buenaventura also denied the allegations of retired Police Colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma that she received money from him as reward for killing drug suspects.

In a previous hearing, Garma said in her supplemental affidavit that she got P20,000 from Buenaventura after one operation.

Buenaventura believes the issues hurled at Garma, including the missing money from PCSO, hiring her relatives at PCSO and other issues discovered in the Quad Comm hearings, are the reason why she is passing the blame to him.

"Inakusahan niya [Garma] ako na nagbibigay ng reward money for EJK [extrajudicial killing] para ilihis lang yung imbestigasyon laban sa kanya. Para mas maging kapani-paniwala, sinabi niya nakatanggap siya sa akin ng tatlong beses na reward money para sa EJK," he said.

Duterte's former security aide questioned why Garma seemingly excluded herself in the matrix on the "Davao model" of the war on drugs.

READ: Garma says Duterte tapped 'Davao Model' on killing drug suspects

"Wala at hindi kasama ang pangalan niya sa lahat ng kinasasangkutan niyang issue. Iniwas niya ang sarili niya sa imbestigasyon. Gawa gawa lang niya lahat para makaiwas siya na mabibigat na issues laban sa kanya at kinasasangkutan niya," Buenaventura said.

"Colonel Garma should not accuse anybody to save herself. She has to prove every accusation she makes with evidence. Hindi lang sa salita o sabi-sabi niya," he added.

Buenaventura told lawmakers he worked for Duterte from 1988 to 2008.

Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro asked the former cop on his experience working for the elder Duterte for two decades.

"Para sa akin, mabait si Mayor Duterte," Buenaventura said.

When asked about Matobato's claim that he was the "boss" of the group of then mayor Duterte, Buenaventura maintained he was a driver-bodyguard. He refuted Matobato's claim that he served as security of Duterte.

 Luistro then questioned Buenaventura on the existence of the Davao Death Squad, after reading to him names of supposed members, some of whom he knew like Lascañas and Matobato.

"Yun sabi sa newspaper, sa media… Narinig ko lang yan ma'am kasi ang nagbigay ng pangalan niyan is media… I did not deny, narinig ko lang, your honor," he responded.

The former cop said he watched the testimony of Duterte at the Senate confirming the existence of the Davao Death Squad.

"Sa akin your honor, narinig ko lang. So kung nagsabi ang Presidente, narinig ko lang sa kanya," Buenaventura said.

He confirmed "superman" was a call sign for Duterte when they had a radio, but he was not aware this was what Davao Death Squad called him.

"Yun ang call sign ni Mayor no'ng may radyo pa kami. Superman. Sa amin lang yun. Iyon ang call sign niya sa radio," Buenaventura said.

Former senator Leila De Lima earlier told the Quad Committee that Davao Death Squad members called  Duterte "Superman." This was also in the affidavit of Lascañas submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

 "With a grade of 10, ibig sabihin 'yun po ang pinakamataas na loyalty and dedication na ibinibigay niyo sa President, you will not say anything that will harm the President?" Luistro asked Buenaventura.

"Yes your honor," he responded.

"Dahil sa taas ng inyong loyalty at dedikasyon niyo sa kanya, wala ho kayong sasabihin na ikakapahamak niya? Tama ho ba?" Luistro questioned him again.

"Tama po," Buenaventura said.

"At kung kailangan niyo magsinungaling mailigtas lamang siya, gagawin niyo ho?" she asked.

"Hindi ho," the former cop said.

"Kung kailangan niyo ialay ang buhay niyo, mailigtas lang ang dating Pangulo gagawin niyo po ba yun?" Luistro further pressed.

"Yes your honor," he said.

Meantime, Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing asked Buenaventura on several incidents that happened after 2008 mentioned in the affidavit of Lascañas that allegedly involved him.

Buenaventura repeatedly denied each of the allegations, even saying that they did not really know Lascañas.

One of the claims was that Buenaventura was that he ordered Lascañas to go to Laud Quarry to coordinate an operation and he discovered seven bodies of construction workers who were "neutralized."

Suansing questioned why Lascañas reported to him if he did not have a high position.

"Hindi siya nagreport sa akin your honor. Hindi siya nagreport. Hindi kami nagkita sa Laud quarry. Wala talaga your honor, yung pitong patay na sinabi niya. Wala yan your honor. Hindi totoo yan. Hinding hindi totoo yan," Buenaventura answered.

Suansing asked Buenaventura if he was willing to sign a waiver for his bank accounts, which he claimed only has over P4,000.

"Your honor yung bangko ko po, pang pamilya lang yun. Pag may sahod may mailagay ako. Walang ibang transaction doon. Honestly. Para lang yun sa pamilya ko," he said while in disbelief that he was being asked to sign a waiver.

"No your honor," Buenaventura replied when pressed by Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano.

Lawmakers called out the former cop for his demeanor during Suansing's interpellation to which he apologized.

Buenaventura also denied knowledge of the supposed drug war reward system.

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