Bato: Senate probe gives witnesses chance to answer

Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa —Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s decision to allow resource persons of the drug war probe to talk for over 10 minutes did not escape Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s attention, saying that this is unlike what the House of Representatives’ quad committee did.

During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Monday, Dela Rosa delivered another criticism of the quad committee, saying that past and present police officers are not allowed to speak freely at the lower House.

“Mr. Chair, I just would like to put on record my observation in this committee hearing that in this committee hearing, our resource persons are given even 10 to 15 minutes, beyond 15 minutes time to speak up,” dela Rosa said.

READ: Cop claims solons pressured him to confirm drug war reward system

“Unlike what happened in the quad comm in the lower House wherein the police asked to be resource persons are pitiful, because they are being told that ‘this question is answerable by yes or no’, yes lang or no lang, no more explanation. But here Mr. Chair we are treating our resource person with dignity and respect,” he added.

Aside from this, Dela Rosa also called out members of the quad committee for supposedly trying to force Police Col. Hector Grijaldo into corroborating the testimony of retired police colonel Royina Garma.

READ: Leonardo: Rewards system existed; validates Garma’s testimony

“You’re being deprived of your right to explain yourself, that’s why you were being coached and asked to say, like ‘can you testify here, or to this paragraph?’ So that’s very inappropriate, that’s very irregular for a lawmaker making an investigation in aid of legislation to make that kind of approach to a resource person where they seem to force the individual,” dela Rosa said.

“It seems that they have a preconceived goal where they need to hit something, that’s why they guide your statement. Am I correct?” he asked.

“Yes, your Honor,” Grijaldo replied.

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

According to Dela Rosa, this should be a wake-up call to the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership to check on their personnel supposedly being berated by House lawmakers.

“So now, Mr. Chairman, if the Philippine National Police, especially its leadership, is listening… I don’t know what is their reaction towards the statement of Grijaldo,” he said.

“I congratulate him for being so courageous enough to speak up for the truth on behalf of all the policemen who are being shamed by the people who should respect them,” he added.

Dela Rosa has not provided an exact example of when quad committee resource persons were supposedly restricted to yes or no answers. However, at the ninth quad committee hearing held last October 22, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. asked retired police colonel Edilberto Leonardo to answer yes or no to his questions.

The questions were about affidavits issued by former police colonel Royina Garma regarding the rewards system in the drug war and the existence of the Davao Death Squad (DDS).

“This is my question, and this will only be answerable by yes or no. I am not going to ask any more explanations, Col. Leonardo, just answer yes or no. From the two affidavits of Col. Garma that you read and heard. Do you believe that? Yes or no?” Abante asked.

“Yes, Mr. Chair,” Leonardo said.

Abante then clarified if Leonardo believes in the existence of a reward system for police officers who can kill drug suspects in the past administration’s drug war.

Last October 11, Garma also testified before the quad committee that former president Rodrigo Duterte contacted her in 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.

The Davao template refers to a rewards system where cops who kill drug suspects and other alleged criminals are given cash grants, ranging from P20,000 to P1 million.