Duterte denies war on drugs reward system: I’ll just pocket the money

Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte attends the Senate’s probe into his administration’s war on drugs on Monday, October 28, 2024  (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines—Why would he reward the police for killing drug offenders when he could have just pocketed the money?

Former  president Rodrigo Duterte raised this argument  on Monday  when he faced the Senate  blue ribbon subcommittee’s investigation on Monday into his administration’s war on drugs.

During the hearing, Senate President Pro Tempore  Jinggoy Estrada asked Duterte about the existence of the reward system as alleged by retired police colonel Royina Garma.

“Sagutin kita ng ganito. Bakit ako magbayad  sa kanila, trabaho man nila yan?”  Duterte said.

(I’ll answer you like this: Why should I pay them when it’s their job?)

“Kung may pera, ibulsa ko na lang. Why would I give it to them, trabaho nila yan e,” Duterte added.

(If there’s money, I’ll just pocket it. Why would I give it to them? It’s their job, after all.)

In a separate  probe in the House of Representatives,  Garma claimed Duterte ordered the creation of a national task force that would implement the Davao drug war model.

“This Davao Model referred to the system involving payment and rewards […]”  she earlier told the House quad committee.

“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 explained.

According to  Garma,  she was already acquainted with then- Davao City Mayor Duterte, having served as a commander in one of the police stations in the city.