Garma bares monetary reward range under ‘Davao drug war template’

MANILA, Philippines — The rewards given to police officers and officials involved in drug war operations under the “Davao template” range from P20,000 to P1 million, retired police colonel Royina Garma bared on Friday.

Garma made the revelation during the eighth hearing of the House of Representatives’ quad committee, when asked by Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel about the rewards system under the drug war implemented by then president Rodrigo Duterte.

“Mr. Chair, we received information, although in the past it was just a theory, now that we are holding investigations, sources told us that there is a reward system wherein if you kill a pusher, that’s what they call Level 1, and then P50,000 is the reward.  Can Colonel Garma confirm that Mr. Chair?” Manuel asked.

“Mr. Chair, I am not so familiar with the specific amounts, but true, there is an amount per level, I think Colonel (Edilberto) Leonardo can explain this better what the specific amount is, because I might be wrong if I say that it is P50,000 or  P100,000 or P1,000,000.  But there is a corresponding amount per level, Mr. Chair,” Garma replied.

“May amount po, Mr. Chair, from what I understand is starting from P20,000 to P1,000,000.  But I’m not familiar sa mga bracketing, Mr. Chair,” Garma noted.

Earlier, Garma submitted a supplemental affidavit to the quad committee, confirming that the Duterte administration adopted a so-called “Davao template” in terms of the war against illegal drugs.

According to Garma, officers involved in the killing of drug suspects are rewarded, saying that there are three modes of payment — first, for every suspect killed; second for the planned operations; and third, the refund of operational expenses.

Garma added that it was former president Duterte who contacted her about the creation of a national task force.

 “I was already acquainted with then-Mayor Duterte, having served as a Station Commander in one of the police stations in Davao during his tenure.  During our meeting, he requested that I locate a Philippine National Police officer or operative who is a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, indicating that he needed someone capable of implementing the war on drugs on a national scale, replicating the Davao model,” Garma said.

“This Davao Model referred to the system involving payment and rewards […] 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 added.

According to Garma, she told Duterte that she is unaware of “any individual with those qualifications” as she has not been assigned outside of Davao.  However, she remembered her upperclassman, National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Leonardo — a former police colonel, who is a member of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and also belongs to Iglesia Ni Cristo.

Garma and Leonardo were both invited by the quad committee over reports that they are linked to extrajudicial killings.