Bato denies knowledge of drug war reward system

MANILA, Philippines —  Sen. Ronald dela Rosa yesterday denied having a hand in the cash reward system for policemen under a “Davao model” of the drug war during the Duterte administration, as alleged by retired police colonel Royina Garma.

“I have no idea on that. There was none,” Dela Rosa said, referring to Garma’s allegation that policemen were rewarded with as much as P1 million per kill under the Davao template for the nationwide war on drugs.

Garma, a former general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), made the accusation during last Friday’s hearing of the quad committee of the House of Representatives.

Dela Rosa was the first chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“I don’t know what Garma is saying about a ‘Davao model.’ I am not close to her. I only know her as close to former president Duterte. I do not know that Davao model that they are inventing,” he said in an interview with dwIZ.

He said his only “brainchild” when he was PNP chief was “Oplan Tokhang,” wherein police would knock on the doors of suspected drug offenders and plead for them to give up drugs.

Dela Rosa and Duterte are under investigation by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity in the conduct of the drug war that killed thousands of mostly poor drug users and street pushers.

Human rights groups had criticized Oplan Tokhang, saying it was a scheme used by policemen to collect names of drug users or pushers or even activists who were targetted by vigilantes.

Dela Rosa said the only reward money he knew was for the arrest of high-profile and “most wanted” criminals.

“My name was not included in Garma’s affidavit. I am totally innocent of that. But honestly speaking, if you are a policeman, you do not need a reward money to do your job,” Dela Rosa said.

The senator was not mentioned in Garma’s affidavit, but his name was in a matrix she prepared and presented before the quad committee.

In that matrix, Dela Rosa as PNP chief was labelled as Duterte’s “trusted” person directly dealing with key police officials who were given the reward money for distribution to those who carried out kills. “I know where I stand. I am an honest person. My heart is clean,” Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa was also accused during the House hearing by alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa of forcing him to implicate former senator Leila De Lima in the drug trade.

The senator denied Espinosa’s allegation and warned he would punch him in the face if they see each other.

‘Diversionary tactic’

Sen. Bong Go also denied Garma’s allegation that the money paid for every kill during the war on drugs was coursed through him as Duterte’s trusted aide.

“The affidavit and statements of Colonel Garma during the recent quad comm hearing are clear diversionary tactics to muddle the true issue she is facing – her participation in an alleged murder plot,” Go said yesterday.

“I would like to clarify that there is no reward system implemented in exchange for the life of others,” he pointed out. “It is sad that times are different now, that the investigation is political, and the previous administration’s gains in ridding the country of crimes and drugs are not appreciated.”

He was referring to the allegation also being investigated by the quad comm that Garma and National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo were behind the 2020 killing of PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

“Malicious and unsubstantiated statements should have no place in any credible investigation,” Go said.

As then special assistant to the president, Go denied handling the operational requirements of the bloody drug crackdown, saying his job was merely “limited to scheduling, appointments, and presidential engagements.”

“I have no participation whatsoever, directly or indirectly, in the operational requirements of the war on drugs. My mandate does not include police operations,” Go said.

He urged the Senate to “conduct an impartial investigation on these allegations.”

“The former president has stated clearly numerous times that his administration never sanctioned nor tolerated any form of senseless killings,” Go said. “Former president Duterte is a lawyer. He knows and has always respected the rule of law.”

In her sworn affidavit, Garma accused Go of coordinating with Leonardo in implementing nationwide the so-called Davao model.

Garma said she had personal knowledge of how Leonardo prepared a drug war proposal and coursed it through Go at Malacañang.

“During the initial three months of his assignment, I facilitated all meetings between Leonardo and Bong Go at Leonardo’s request. Subsequently, they established direct communication,” Garma said.

Leonardo, she said, would report to Go every drug suspect killed during police operations – with classifications on the “threat level” of the person killed – “for inclusion in his weekly report and requests for refunds of operational expenses.”

Garma also prepared a matrix which indicated that the “flow of payment” of reward money was between Go and Leonardo.

The matrix also alleged that Go’s “trusted staff” at the Presidential Management Staff –  a certain “Muking” – was “in charge of releasing money” to police “striker” Pedro Parungo, who was “in charge in the deposit and payment.”

Garma said Parungo once complained that with the large sums of money he was depositing in three bank accounts, he might get flagged by the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

P20K to P1 million  reward

Upon questioning by Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel at the quad comm hearing, Garma confirmed that policemen got P20,000 to P1 million reward for every drug suspect killed.

“From what I understand, starting P20,000 to P1 million but I am not familiar with the bracketing,” she added.

Garma also revealed that at a meeting in May 2016, Duterte instructed her to help find a PNP officer to lead a national anti-drug task force modelled after the scheme Duterte enforced in Davao.

“The Davao model involves three levels of payments or rewards. First is the reward if the suspect is killed. Second is the funding of planned operations. Third is the refund of operational expenses,” she said.

Garma claimed she then recommended Leonardo, her upperclassman at the PNP Academy and who was then with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Leonardo was soon brought into the fold and tasked with forming a specialized task force, following a meeting with Duterte.

According to Garma, Leonardo’s role expanded, and a formal proposal for the task force’s operations was submitted to Duterte through Go.

“Leonardo subsequently informed me that he had prepared a proposal, routed through Bong Go, outlining the task force’s operations, which would encompass Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao,” she added.

Garma claimed her decision to come clean and spill the beans on Duterte was motivated by her deep commitment to truth and a desire to help reform the PNP.

She said after a week of reflection, she felt compelled to speak the truth and contribute to efforts at restoring public trust in the PNP.

“I realize the truth will always set us free, Mr. Chair, and at least I will be able to contribute if we really want to make this country a better place to live… for our children,” Garma said when asked about her reason for testimony by Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez.

Killing machine

Reacting to developments at the quad comm hearings, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said Duterte and his cohorts must be held accountable for turning the PNP into a “killing machine.”

“The PNP was clearly turned into a killing machine by the previous government. Everyone involved in the war on drugs must be held accountable, led by Duterte and his cohorts,” the human rights lawyer said.

“No civilized society can tolerate giving rewards for the taking of human lives. Criminals must be punished in accordance with the law, not killed. We must never ever have a police force that is both judge and executioner,” he added.

Diokno is running in next year’s elections as first nominee of Akbayan party-list.

If elected, he vowed to push for the passage of the PNP Discipline Act, which seeks to strengthen the investigation of police misconduct.

“The police cannot discipline their own ranks. A civilian agency like the Civil Service Commission should have the sole and exclusive power to discipline members of the PNP,” he said.

“Victims of EJKs (extrajudicial killings) and other police abuses should be able to file administrative cases before that agency and to appeal dismissals of their complaints to the courts,” he added.

The public, said Diokno, must have the opportunity to question appointments and promotions in the PNP, with the police officers required to obtain clearance from the Commission on Human Rights. He also called for a ban on the use of narco and drug lists.

Meanwhile, militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said the cash reward system also covered the killing of activists.

Bayan secretary general Raymond Palatino said Duterte made no secret about his plan to kill with impunity when he became president but the state-sponsored killings not only targeted suspected drug pushers and users but also activists and his political critics and enemies.

Palatino said the quad committee should also hear cases of extrajudicial killings that targetted activists, lawyers, journalists, workers, farmers and members of indigenous peoples.

“These activists and human rights defenders were first demonized and red-tagged by Duterte before they became victims of tokhang-style killings,” Palatino said.

What is infuriating, Palatino said, is that Duterte and his cohorts are running in the 2025 midterm elections instead of being held accountable for their crimes.

“They should be spending the rest of their time behind bars and not holding positions in public office where they can use taxpayers’ money to commit more lies and crimes,” he said. -  Sheila Crisostomo, Janvic Mateo, Emmanuel Tupas