Garma claims DDS’ existence ‘common knowledge’ among cops

MANILA, Philippines — The existence of a Davao Death Squad (DDS) in Davao City is a common knowledge among police officers in the area, retired police colonel Royina Garma claimed.

Garma, at the ninth hearing of the House of Representatives quad committee held on Tuesday, read a supplemental affidavit she submitted. In the affidavit, Garma said that she was aware of the DDS when she was a police officer in Davao City.

“I became aware of the so-called ‘Davao Death Squad’ through various sources during my assignment in Davao. It was a common knowledge among officers that almost all station commanders had special teams designated for specific operations,” Garma said.

READ: De Lima: Nanlaban, reward concepts started in Davao even before 2016

“Although I did not know the identities of these teams, a culture of silence prevailed among police officers in Davao regarding such matters. My understanding of these operations was further solidified during my tenure as Station Commander of Sasa and Sta. Ana Police Stations from 2012 to 2016. During this period, I witnessed the existence of a rewards system,” she noted.

READ: Garma says Davao drug war template, rewards system applied in entire PH

According to Garma, she received a call from the intelligence officer of former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa, when she was head of Sasa Police Station.

Dela Rosa was city director of Davao City PNP at that time.

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

The call, Garma said, was meant to inform her that there was an impending operation in her area.

“From this communication, I understood the implications of the operation. A few hours later, I learned that a shooting incident had occurred in Malagamot involving a male suspect, which the investigation suggested was a legitimate operation,” she said.

“During my time as Station Commander of Sasa, the Barangay Captain of Barangay Hizon reported to me that ‘Akyat Bahay’ incidents were prevalent in the area. They intercepted one male suspect acting as a spotter. An entrapment operation was planned, resulting in two suspects being caught in the act of stealing. One suspect was wounded and later died at the hospital […] From that operation, I received P20,000 from Sgt. Suan,” she claimed.

Garma testified in the October 11 quad committee hearing that Duterte, last May 2016 after he won the presidential race, contacted her to ask her to find a PNP operative that can implement the drug war on a national scale, with the “Davao template” in mind.

This means a rewards system will be placed, with cash grants ranging from P20,000 to P1 million.

Duterte said that the task force head has to be an INC member—leading Garma to former police colonel Edilberto Leonardo.

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, Leonardo.

Garma also said that Leonardo told her that he made a proposal outlining the task force’s operations, coursed through Senator Bong Go who was then the special assistant to Duterte.

She also admitted that initially, she facilitated the meetings between Go and Leonardo. Eventually, Garma said that the two men “established direct communication”.

Garma testified that it was also Leonardo who conducted briefings for all Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) officials and even PNP chiefs—even having the final authority on who would be on the watchlist.

But earlier, Leonardo denied Garma’s claims, saying that the latter may have more knowledge of the task force’s operations compared to him.