Ex-prison head does a 180: Garma called me over ops vs slain Chinese

Ex-Davao Penal and Prison Farm Head Supt. Gerardo Padilla talks about how three Chinese detained in the Davao prison facility were killed as he appears before the House of Representatives’ quad-committee on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. Padilla admits to receiving orders not to interfere with an “operation” from former police officer Royina Garma. (Photo from the House of Representatives’ Media Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — Former Davao Penal and Prison Farm (DPPF) Head Senior Supt. Gerardo Padilla, who previously denied knowing anything about the killing of three Chinese in the DPPF last August 2016, has now admitted to receiving orders about not interfering with an “operation.”

The order, Padilla said, came from former Police Colonel and ex-Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Royina Garma.

Padilla made the revelations during the quad-committee’s fourth hearing held on Wednesday.

He also submitted a new affidavit in place of the previous one — a matter discussed by Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel.

“When you and Col. Royina Garma talked over the phone, what did she say?” Pimentel asked.

“As what I have stated in my affidavit,” Padilla replied.

After this, Pimentel read parts of the Bureau of Correction (BuCor) official’s affidavit.

“Okay, I will read what you said: ‘Chief Garma said’ — that’s how you called her — ‘we have people there who would do the hit and you should not question it anymore. And whether you like it or not, we will operate and do not interfere, or else your family might be involved. Cooperate or else you would be accountable to us,’” Pimentel read.

“What are they trying to do? Did you understand it? Because what was stated here was only that they will do something – ‘We will operate there.’ What was your understanding about what Col. Garma said?” he asked.

“It was about the elimination of the three Chinese nationals,” Padilla replied.

Copies of Padilla’s affidavit — which was relayed by sources to INQUIRER.net — showed that Garma allegedly threatened to harm Padilla’s family if he would not cooperate in the killing of the three Chinese serving prison time at the Davao Penal Farm for drug-related cases.

The three Chinese were identified as Chu Kin Tung, Jackson Lee and Peter Wang, who quad-committee witnesses Leopoldo Tan and Fernando Magdadaro claimed to have killed on the orders of a certain SPO4 Arthur Narsolis.

According to Tan, he saw Padilla talking over the phone to a certain personality who congratulated the BuCor official over the hit.

Tan later identified the personality to be former President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Duterte ordered killing of 3 Chinese men in 2016, hitman claims 

Padilla said during the hearing that he has never met Garma, adding that he also does not have the contact details of the former police official.

According to Padilla, he received the call from an inmate, a certain Jimmy Fortaleza, who Garma supposedly contacted.

“So, Mr. Chair, does Col. Padilla mean to say that he does not know, he has not met Col. Garma?” Pimentel asked.

“No, your Honor because it is only through cellphones that we communicated. As much as possible he does not want her number to be obtained. That’s why I only talked to her (Garma) through the cellphone used by Jimmy Fortaleza. She does not want her number to be identified,” he added.

When Pimentel clarified how Padilla was sure that he was talking to Garma, the BuCor official said he knew Garma through their line of job.

“But it seems impossible that there is an operation as big as this and it was just relayed through the phone, Mr. Chair. Did you follow Garma’s orders? Do you even know her?  Do you have first-hand information, or just through a telephone call, you believed it was her?” Pimentel asked again.

“Eh, we know that there are scammers everywhere who can say that they are Col. Garma. You believed it immediately?” the lawmaker queried once again.

“I knew her not personally, professionally, with her position as deputy chief of CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) of Davao,” Padilla responded.

This is not the first time that Garma’s name was mentioned in the quad-committee hearings, but previous statements about her appeared to be mere hearsay — like Tan saying in past discussions that he overheard Padilla being told to talk with Garma.

Padilla was cited for contempt last August 28 as lawmakers found him lying, as he insisted that he was not aware of the order to transfer the Chinese to the same solitary confinement cell where Tan and Magdadaro were placed.

READ: BuCor exec cited for contempt for lying during quad-panel drug probe 

When Padilla said the order came from another Davao Penal Farm official, Corrections Sr. Insp. Nonie Forro, lawmakers allowed Forro to explain his side.

According to Forro, he is only the third in line in terms of approving prisoner movements.

Forro further said there was an advice from Padilla to transfer the Chinese.