Leonardo’s flip-flopping out of fear for family’s safety – Fernandez

MANILA, Philippines — At the earlier part of the House of Representatives’ quad committee hearing on Tuesday, former police colonel Edilberto Leonardo denied knowledge of the drug war’s rewards system — even hinting that it may be fellow ex-police official Royina Garma who knows more than he does.

But just minutes after Wednesday midnight, Leonardo corroborated Garma’s testimony, answering ‘yes’ to questions from Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. as to whether he agrees with Garma’s claims about the rewards system.

What changed?

It was fear, quad committee co-chair and Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez believes, that led to Leonardo’s changing stance.

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

“I believe that fear is a factor in his changing statements. Why? Remember, his family is in Davao City and even us in the quad comm, all of us investigating this, there is a fear factor, for even a certain percentage in our system,” Fernandez said in an online briefing on Wednesday.

“I think that is one reason why Leonardo seemed confused,” he added.

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

Fernandez said Leonardo’s positions in government indicated closeness to the brains of the drug war, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

After serving as a police colonel—heading regional offices of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group—Leonardo was appointed undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in September 2021, heading the Biodiversity Management Bureau.

READ: Garma claims DDS’ existence ‘common knowledge’ among cops

Leonardo’s last post before the quad committee started its investigation was commissioner of the National Police Commission. He had resigned from the said office after the investigation linked him to alleged extrajudicial killings.

‘Juicy positions’

“You have to remember, if you would look at Leonardo’s assignments, he occupied really juicy positions, and at the same time he also admitted that he had direct communication with the higher-ups, right? And even with Senator Bong Go,” Leonardo said.

“Maybe they are just balancing what he can give the quad committee, in relation to the protection of his own family. That’s why we have to consider that as well,” he added.

During the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Leonardo was asked by Abante Jr.—also a co-chair of the quad committee—to answer yes or no to his questions.

The questions are whether Leonardo believes in the two affidavits issued by Garma regarding the existence of a “Davao template” on the drug war’s rewards system, and the veracity of the Davao Death Squad (DDS).

In both instances, Leonardo said yes.

Abante and quad committee lead presiding officer and Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the changing statements might be due to tiredness also.

“Actually he seemed confused, which only indicates that there was no pressure on him, it was his own decision to answer and reply to the question being asked. So for us, although it may appear that he is shocked, maybe he is confused with the questions,” Barbers said.

“Maybe because it’s also late at night, you know there may be a pressure that he is probably experiencing, that may have added to his demeanor last night,” he added.

“In fact the line of questioning that Chairman Ace asked him, he (Leonardo was very cordial, his answers were not forced. The questions that were raised by our fellow congressman, Leonardo was answering it cordially and confidently. That’s why we think it might be just confusion out of tiredness, remember that was one in the morning,” Abante noted.

Last October 11, Garma testified before the quad committee, saying that former president Rodrigo Duterte contacted her last May 2016 about the creation of a task force that can implement the drug war on a national scale, with the “Davao template” in mind.

Garma said the Davao template refers to a rewards system, with cash grants ranging from P20,000 to P1 million given to cops who kill drug suspects.

According to Garma, Duterte told her that the task force head has to be an Iglesia ni Cristo member — leading Garma to tap Leonardo.

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

Then at the Tuesday quad committee hearing , Garma claimed that the existence of the DDS in Davao City is a common knowledge among police officers in the area.