President Marcos accepts Leonardo resignation from Napolcom

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has accepted the resignation of National Police Commission (Napolcom) commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, who was linked to the killing of three Chinese drug convicts and a former official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

In a letter to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Leonardo tendered his resignation from Napolcom last Oct. 4.

Marcos accepted the resignation, which took effect immediately, Bersamin confirmed in the letter dated Oct. 8

Leonardo’s resignation was revealed by Napolcom vice chairman Alberto Bernardo during a hearing of the House quad committee last Friday.

Bernardo told lawmakers he was able to read a letter that Leonardo’s resignation had been accepted, and that he would be getting the official notice by Monday.

The former Napolcom official has been tied to the killing of three Chinese drug convicts inside a Davao prison facility in 2016, and the assassination of former PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga four years later.

Leonardo, who was appointed by former president Rodrigo Duterte to Napolcom in 2022, has denied involvement in the killings.

Late last month, Leonardo was cited in contempt and was ordered detained for allegedly lying during a House probe on the supposed extrajudicial killings tied to Duterte’s controversial war on drugs.

Lawmakers cited Leonardo in contempt after he denied meeting with former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group official Royina Garma and Davao Prison and Penal Farm warden Senior Superintendent Gerardo Padilla ahead of the killing of the three Chinese convicts.