Leonardo hints at spilling beans on drug war issues, says solon

 (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — Resigned National Police Commission Commissioner Colonel Edilberto Leonardo, who was tagged by retired police Col. Royina Garma in drug war killings appears to be keen on likewise divulging key details on the issue, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez said.

Fernandez, in an online interview, confirmed that Leonardo’s camp had been sending feelers about following Garma’s lead.

“There are rumors like that (Leonardo telling everything) but we haven’t had the affidavit yet from him.  But if ever that he’ll be speaking on Tuesday as well, then it will be a much, much bigger corroboration on the testimony of Royina Garma,” Fernandez told reporters.

“There are also feelers.  But of course we wanted to find out the veracity of what he is going to say,” he added.

Fernandez also stressed that they do not want the quad committee to be turned into an avenue for people involved in the drug war issues to absolve themselves in exchange for testifying.

“Of course you have to realize that it’s not only Commissioner Leonardo who wanted to speak and have their stories be heard.  There are many, but we just want to ensure that what they are going to reveal are substantial.  Sometimes they just want to use the quad comm to take away the sins that they have perpetrated as well,” Fernandez said.

“We would not allow that.  Maybe later they will ask for a condition to lessen, to eradicate what they have done, but we would not allow that because we have laws to follow. Maybe there would only be mitigating circumstances that are in accordance with our criminal procedure that can be applied to them,” he added.

Last Friday, Garma confirmed that the past administration adopted a “Davao template” for the national version of the war on drugs.

Under the scheme, Garma said that officers involved in the killing of drug suspects are rewarded from P20,000 to P1 million.

Garma submitted an affidavit wherein she said that Duterte met and asked her to look find a police official who can lead the task force. 

Eventually, Garma recommended Leonardo to Duterte, and was then assigned to coordinate with drug war operations.

Garma claimed that Leonardo was in the thick of anti-drug operations, as the latter was in-charge of briefing Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) heads, along with supposedly informing former special assistant and now Senator Bong Go about drug war operations.

Go, however, denied knowing or having involvement regarding the drug war operayiopns and the alleged rewards system.

The rewards system is not the first issue that Leonardo’s name was brought up. 

In discussing the assassination of  Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board secretary Wesley Barayuga in July 2021, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza said that Garma and Leonardo supposedly ordered the hit.

Both Leonardo and Garma have denied Mendoza’s claims.