In a shocking testimony, retired police colonel Royina Garma revealed that former President Rodrigo Duterte once ordered her to find a police officer to lead a national anti-drug task force modeled after the controversial “Davao-style” war on drugs. This system, she said, offered rewards of up to P20,000 for police officers who killed street-level drug suspects.
During her emotional testimony at a House Quad Committee hearing, Garma said Duterte gave the directive in May 2016. He wanted a Philippine National Police (PNP) officer who was a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo to lead the task force.
Garma shared how the reward system worked: payments for each suspect killed, funding for operations, and refunds for expenses. She recommended her colleague, Colonel Edilberto Leonardo, to lead the team. Leonardo submitted a proposal for the nationwide task force, passing it to Duterte through Bong Go, Duterte’s trusted aide.
According to Garma, this task force operated across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, with killings being reported directly to Go for reimbursement. Despite these claims, Go, now a senator, has denied any involvement in the reward system, saying his duties were limited to scheduling and appointments, not police operations.
During her testimony, Garma said she felt a strong responsibility to speak the truth and contribute to reforms within the police force. She emphasized that no one forced her to come forward, and it took her time to reflect before making her revelations.
The hearing also included heartbreaking testimonies from families of victims of the drug war, while some political figures, like former senator Leila de Lima, praised Garma for exposing the truth.
Go, however, dismissed Garma’s claims, calling them an attempt to confuse the real issue, and maintained that there was no reward system in place for killings during the drug war.
Calls for justice continue, with some hoping that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will step in to investigate the killings under Duterte’s administration.
This powerful testimony has sparked a national conversation about the methods used in the controversial war on drugs, with many now questioning the role of rewards and payments in its execution.
