MANILA -- An official of the Bureau of Corrections, who was in charge of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, when three alleged Chinese drug lords were killed by two inmates in August 2016, admitted having knowledge of a supposed plan for the hit, but denied involvement in its planning and execution.

S/Supt. Gerardo Padilla recanted his previous statements before the House Quad Committee and executed a new affidavit.

He claimed that he received a call allegedly from then police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) official Royina Garma through the phone of an inmate, informing him of an “operation” against the three Chinese inmates and advising him not to interfere.

Surigao del Sur Second District Rep. Johnny Pimentel read a portion of Padilla’s new affidavit, and asked him to confirm.

No suspension of House committee hearings, session on Sept. 3

“Okay babasahin ko po... ‘Sabi po ni chief Garma’ — ‘yon po ang tawag ninyo — ‘may mga tao kami d’yan na gagawa at ‘wag mo nang kwestyunin.  And whether you like it or not, we will operate and do not interfere, baka madamay pa pamilya mo.  Mag-cooperate ka na lang or mananagot ka sa amin’.  Ano ho ba ‘yong plano nilang ipagawa?” Pimentel asked.

“Tungkol po doon sa pag-eliminate no’ng three Chinese nationals,” Padilla replied.

“‘Yung recantation is not looked upon with favor by the courts. Kasi nagsinungaling ka na doon sa sinumpaan mo, tapos babaguhin mo,” House Committee on Public Order and Safety Vice Chairperson and Antipolo City Second District Rep. Romeo Acop noted.

Padilla, however, denied personally knowing Garma or her phone number.

He claimed that he was not involved in the planning and killing of the Chinese inmates. But some lawmakers expressed doubts.

Two inmates, who admitted killing the Chinese inmates, previously told the quad comm that a search was conducted in their cell on August 11, 2016 and it was made to appear that shabu was found in their pocket, triggering the move to bring them to a solitary confinement cell.

House sets probe on killings linked to Duterte’s drug war

Two days later, the three alleged Chinese drug lords were also brought to the same cell. On the evening of August 13, 2016, the two inmates stabbed the three Chinese using bladed weapons, supposedly provided to them by the cell mayor.

“I certainly believe that Col. Padilla is heavily involved in the planning… Hindi mangyayari ang pag-transfer ng dalawang pumatay at tatlong namatay kung hindi manggagaling sa warden ang order,” Pimentel said.

Padilla asserted" “’Yung unang sinabi nilang instruction na kailangan gumawa ako, pero hindi ko pinansin ‘yun. Kaya galit na sila sa akin. Gumawa sila ng ibang strategy. Kasi parang nababagalan sila sa akin. Hindi ako kumikilos during that time. Gumawa sila ng another strategy. Parang binlind nila ako sa nangyayari.”

“Hindi mo man lang ini-report doon sa mga nakakataas para tulungan ka na pigilin ‘yung ganoon na mangyayari?” Acop asked.

“Kaya nga humihingi ako ng executive session, kasi napakaselan,” Padilla replied.

The Quad Comm previously invited Garma to the hearings, but she has yet to appear.

The BuCor official told the joint panel that he objected to the transfer of the three alleged Chinese drug lords to the Davao Prison and Penal Farm from the National Bilibid Prison because they had no facility for such high-profile inmates.

Dela Rosa says House drug war probe an effort to 'eliminate' 2028 rivals

Padilla said he sensed that the transfer was part of a “government anti-illegal drug operation” against the three persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

“I was really under pressure during that time. Mayroon akong documents na pwedeng ipakita na nagpapatotoo doon sa sinasabi ko sa affidavit… May mga previous request ako, so na-sense ko talaga na it is really a major government anti-illegal drugs operations against that PDLs,” Padilla told the Quad Comm.

PHOTO WITH DUTERTE

House Committee on Human Rights Chairperson and Manila Sixth District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. also inquired about the “intense pressure” Padilla claimed he felt after supposedly receiving Garma’s call.

“Kayo ba ay nagkaroon ng intense pressure sa kanyang sinabi o sa isip ninyo mayroon pang tao behind what Chief Garma said at mas mataas pa ito?” Abante asked.

“That’s true,” Padilla replied.

“Ang binabanggit ninyo, ‘yung behind the big person, sa sinabi ni Chief Garma ay inyong ini-implicate ang ating former President, ganoon po ba?” Abante inquired further.

“Hindi ko naman po ini-implicate, pero hawak po sila ng mas mataas,” Padilla clarified.

“Ibig sabihin niyan, hawak si Chief Garma ng mas mataas, at ang mas mataas diyan ay ang dating Pangulo, tama ba ako?” Abante asked.

“Yes, your honor,” Padilla replied.

Asked about the claim of inmate Leopoldo Tan Jr. that Padilla allegedly received a call from former President Rodrigo Duterte after the killing of the three Chinese inmates, supposedly congratulating him, Padilla requested for an executive session citing worries over his personal and his family’s safety.

The Quad Comm granted  the request upon the motion of House Committee on Public Order and Safety Chairperson and Santa Rosa City Representative Dan Fernandez.

Padilla denied personally meeting Duterte, but lawmakers showed photos of the two together.

“That was taken during when he was mayor in Davao City… sa Samal po ‘yan, pero hindi po kami magkumpare. Nag-attend lang kami niyan kasi ‘yung kinasal diyan, ‘yun ang kaibigan ko. Picture taking lang po yan as a public figure,” Padilla later clarified.

House eyes merging probes on Duterte drug war, POGO crimes to address 'overlaps'

HEARSAY

Pampanga Second District Rep. and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, an ally of the Dutertes, attended the quad comm hearing for the first time on Wednesday and raised a point of order.

She issued a reminder to fellow lawmakers against hearsay testimonies.

“Our proceedings are adopting formal rules of public hearings…  So I would like to give a gentle reminder that in such formal proceedings, hearsay does not deserve the same credence compared to personal knowledge evidence,” Arroyo said.

Duterte’s former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo earlier called the accusations against the former president part of a “demolition job”.

“The demolition job on the Dutertes is in full swing. The enemies of FPRRD are using convicted felons of murders and drug trafficking to link him to the murders of the 3 Chinese detainees of which they were the perpetrators on the basis of their bare allegations,” Panelo said in a statement.

“Those convicts have nothing to lose since they are jailed for life. Obviously, they are making those statements for a consideration. If it is true as they say that they killed the 3 Chinese in exchange for money and release from prison, necessarily they can lie about FRRRD’s alleged link to the murders for the same consideration of money and freedom coming from those, who want to destroy the Dutertes,” he added.