Duterte disputes Garma’s claims on drug task force directive: ‘Liar’

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee secretary administers the oath of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday, October 28, 2024 before he begins his testimony before the subcommittee investigating motu proprio the alleged extra-judicial killings during his administration. In his opening statement, Duterte defended his war against illegal drugs, which he said was not about killing people but about protecting the innocent. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte has disputed retired police colonel Royina Garma’s claims that he called her in 2016 about the creation of a task force that would implement the drug war on a national level.

At the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on Monday, Duterte was quizzed by Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada about Garma’s claims that Duterte wanted the “Davao template,” or a system of rewards given to cops who kill drug suspects, implemented on a national scale.

“She said she received a call from you sometime in May 2016. Can you confirm this, Mr. President?” Estrada asked.

“Di ako tumatawag ng pulis sa bahay. ‘Yong sabi niya doon sa bahay? ‘Di naman kami nagpupunta do’n (I don’t call police when they are at home. Was she referring to when I was home?  I don’t go there),” Duterte said.

“Before you assumed the presidency, you were still president-elect at that time, ang sabi niya (she said it was) May 2016, so I presume you were still president-elect, Mr. President,” Estrada said.

“I do not remember calling her, and for what?  ‘Yong presidente ako andyan na ‘yong lahat, nasa akin na (When I was president everything was available to me),” Duterte replied.

Estrada then asked Duterte if it was true that he called Garma to order her to find a task force head that was from the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), which led to Garma recommending retired police colonel and National Police Commission official Edilberto Leonardo.

In response, Duterte said Garma is merely “lying.”

“I hate to say this, but that fool was lying. Why would I pick an Iglesia ni Cristo member? Why don’t I include Aglipays and Mormons, too?  Why would I zero with Iglesia ni Cristo?  For what reason?  That’s why sir, I am just trying to explain why I would want an Iglesia ni Cristo member?  I should call the others too,” he said in Filipino.

“That’s their job, sir; I am a mayor, then a president; I do not care about their religion, son of a b*tch. You just do your job; they know how I curse at them. Do not give me that sh*t, son of a b*tch,” he added.

At the House of Representatives’ quad committee hearing last October 11, Garma said that Duterte’s administration adopted the “Davao template” in implementing the drug war on a nationwide scale, where officers involved in the killing drug suspects were rewarded.

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

Garma said there were three modes of payment or rewards — first, for every suspect killed; second for the planned operations; and third, the refund of operational expenses. Payments, she added, can range from P20,000 to P1 million.

READ: Rewards of up to P1 million led to ‘narco-pol’ slays

According to Garma, it was Duterte who contacted her about the creation of a national task force.

“I mentioned his (Leonardo’s) name to the president. On the same day, a certain individual named ‘Muking’ contacted me by phone to request Leonardo’s contact details, which I promptly provided.  A week later, I learned from Arthur Narsolis via phone call that Leonardo had been summoned by the President and was instructed to proceed to the Mandaya Hotel in Davao for a meeting,” Garma said.

“Leonardo informed me that he stayed at the hotel for three days, during which the President directed him to organize a task force similar to the PAOCTF.  When Leonardo relayed this information and urged me to join the task force, I declined, citing my lack of experience in handling such operations,” she added.

Last October 22, Garma said Duterte called her up last October 17, while she was detained at the House premises, to explain why an INC member was needed for the nationwide task force.

Garma said Duterte pointed out that INC members are known to be careful with handling money, hence the requirement.

“Ang sabi niya mapagkakatiwalaan sa pera ang Iglesia ni Cristo (INC members can be trusted with money matters),” Garma said.

READ: Garma: Duterte called to explain choice for drug war task force leader