House medical team to check on Grijaldo as he skipped drug war probe

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives hold a hearing of the quad committee on August 28, 2024. The four panels — the committee on dangerous drugs, the committee on public order and safety, the committee on human rights, and the committee on public accounts — were tasked to probe the possible correlation between illegal activities in Pogos, the illegal drug trade, and possible human rights violations during the Duterte administration’s drug war. (Photo from the House of Representatives media bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — The quad committee has asked the House of Representatives’ medical team to check on Police Col. Hector Grijaldo Jr. as he has skipped the drug war hearings three times already citing health reasons.

During the twelfth hearing held on Wednesday, quad panel co-chairperson and Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano made the motion to direct the House’s medical officer, which was seconded by Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop.

Grijaldo was said to be admitted at the Pasig Doctors Medical Center due to rotator cuff or shoulder issues.

“We have with us a letter of excuse coming from the lawyers of Police Col. Grijaldo, once again attached is a medical request from his doctor, a certain Dr. Montenegro, a request to admit Col. Grijaldo. But just to inform everyone, this is now the third time that Col. Grijaldo was absent, and he sent us three excuse letters with the same reasons,” Paduano said.

“May I respectfully move that we will direct our medical officer in the House to check personally the status of Col. Grijaldo with regards to his medical condition, Mr. Chairman,” he added.

Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores then amended Paduano’s motion, asking that the Philippine National Police (PNP) Health Service be present also to determine Grijaldo’s capability to discharge his functions.

The amended motion was approved by lead presiding officer and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, however, was not buying Grijaldo’s alibi, believing that the police official only wanted to evade the hearings after his alleged attempt to discredit the quad committee.

“Mr. Chairman, as much as I want to inhibit myself in the discussion about this Col. Grijaldo, I am quite pissed Mr. Chairman. His continued absence from this committee hearing under the pretext of medical excuses is not acceptable.  He wants to run, he wants to run away from his responsibility [after] mentioning the name of this representation,” he said.

“He tainted the image of this representation, not only of this representation but the whole of the quad comm.  Now, Mr. Chairman, I cannot accept the excuse of a medical service,” he added.

Grijaldo has accused Fernandez and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. of pressuring him to confirm the testimonies of retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma.

During the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee last October 28, Grijaldo told the panel that Abante and Fernandez summoned him to check if he could confirm parts of Garma’s testimony about the alleged rewards system in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.

This happened, Grijaldo said, last October 22 or during the ninth quad committee hearing.

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

Fernandez clarified that while Grijaldo was summoned to a meeting, the police officer was not forced to sign any affidavit that would corroborate Garma’s testimonies.

Fernandez said Grijaldo was only called up because Garma said he knew about the rewards system in the drug war.  Garma’s lawyers also denied Grijaldo’s claims.

READ: Fernandez: Cop was summoned but wasn’t forced to sign anything

READ: Garma’s lawyers deny Grijaldo’s claim of coercion in quad comm probe

Garma said Duterte called her in May 2016 about the creation of a national task force that would implement the “Davao template” on a national scale. Under this model, Garma said, operatives who kill drug suspects would be rewarded, ranging from P20,000 to P1 million.

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