Garma’s gambit

Who is shocked by former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager and retired police colonel Royina Garma’s exposé against former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte in relation to his war on drugs? The answer is nobody.

Garma’s revelation went this way: In carrying out the so-called extrajudicial killings, between ?20,000 to ?1 million were given as incentives. She also pointed to FPRRD as the one giving direct orders. Senator Bong Go and retired colonel Edilberto Leonardo also allegedly played roles in the implementation. A group of operatives was tasked with executing the drug war, which was based on the Davao model.

Everybody knows that FPRRD carried out a war on drugs. In fact his campaign promise to put an end to the menace of drugs, to a large extent, made him win as president. He impressed upon us that the war would be bloody while cracking such jokes as “iyang padak-an ang mga sementeryo.”

Throughout his presidency and even beyond, Duterte has remained popular according to surveys. It’s not a mystery but a fact that can be explained: his war on drugs enjoys wide support from the Filipino people, particularly among the masses.

What made his war on drugs hugely popular? Ordinary people wanted peace. They wanted to manage their day-to-day struggles without the fear of being harmed by drug addicts. They wanted to live in communities where everybody is not hooked on drugs.

When drug pushers or drug lords were killed, we cannot deny that the ordinary people found a sense of peace in their communities, with the understanding that these individuals were indeed criminals. Frankly, that kind of peace is what they sorely miss now.

However, I believe that the war on drugs had its excesses. This is where the former president should be made to explain, and not just him, but also those below him like Garma.

Will Garma go scot-free? I don’t think so. She must be under heavy pressure these days, particularly from those who wish to pin down FPRRD. Self-preservation is basic human nature.

But Garma has a bigger problem as the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is set to file criminal complaints against her and retired colonel Edilberto Leonardo in relation to the killing of PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020.

The efforts of some sectors to bring the war on drugs of FPRRD back to the public consciousness are a double-edged sword. For the former president’s critics, this could signal the end of the political careers of the Dutertes. More specifically, it may dim the prospects of VP Sara eventually winning the presidency in 2028.

But the possibility is also open that if they pin FPPRD down to the ground and overkill the issues against him, he might gain sympathy. They should be cautious not to let FPRRD end up in a pitiable situation, appearing as a victim, after all, Filipinos usually take sides with the underdogs. That might become VP Sara's ticket in 2028.

There is also a possibility that the public will continue to long for a return to the years of a Duterte presidency, or any presidency similar to his. VP Sara or other personalities may emerge who could fill that gap, even presenting a better version of PRRD’s drug war to the people.

Only time will tell which way the consequences of the investigations go.