Former president Rodrigo Duterte phoned retired police colonel Royina Garma after she testified two weeks ago at a hearing of the House of Representatives’ quad committee that killings were enforced in his “war on drugs” in exchange for rewards.

Garma made the admission under questioning by Alliance of Concerned Teachers partylist Rep. France Castro during the resumption last Tuesday of the four-panel committee’s inquiry. She said Duterte merely told her why he was “searching for an Iglesia ni Cristo member officer” for the nationwide task force he had wanted organized.

Garma had earlier testified that in May 2016, then president-elect Duterte told her to find a police official who is a member of the INC to create a task force to implement a nationwide antinarcotics campaign using the so-called “Davao model.”

She had said that she recommended Col. Edilberto Leonardo for the job and that a reward system was put up in which cash payments were given for every killing of a drug personality.

Dependable

Addressing Castro on Tuesday, Garma said Duterte explained to her in the phone call that he wanted an INC member because, he said, the INC is trustworthy and can be depended on when it comes to handling money.

Castro inquired if this meant that Leonardo—who, according to Garma’s earlier testimony, was the one who implemented the reward system in the antidrug campaign—could be trusted when it came to money. Garma replied: “It can be interpreted maybe, your honor.”

When asked by the lawmaker if she apologized to Duterte during their phone conversation, Garma said: “Yes, I said I’m sorry.”

Castro then told Garma there was no need for anyone to apologize, and that it is Duterte who “should apologize to the thousands of people, youth and innocents that he killed in the drug war.”

She also asked Garma if the former president had asked her to stop her testimony. Garma said he did not.

Surprised

Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, one of the cochairs of the House quad committee, expressed surprise that Duterte was able to phone Garma, who remains under detention in the House.

In response, Garma said it was just a one-minute call and reiterated that Duterte only explained to her why he wanted an INC member to lead the task force that would implement the drug war.

She also told Fernandez that apart from Duterte, only her relatives call her.

It was Castro who asked Garma if Duterte called her. She had also asked if the retired colonel received phone calls from her daughter.

After acknowledging that Duterte did call her once, Garma also said the former president could have found her phone number—which she said she had been using for barely a year—because he is “very resourceful.”

Meanwhile, Castro disclosed to the quad committee that she was able to speak to Garma during the earlier hearing when they chanced upon each other at the restroom.

“I wondered why she embraced me and it was because she was relieved [after testifying],” Castro said of her encounter with Garma, a former general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office known to have close ties with Duterte.

Castro said she told Garma it was good she was cooperating so the truth about the drug war can be found. She said it was Garma’s daughter “who pushed her to tell the truth.”

Garma’s daughter is staying with her at the House detention quarters. 

‘I don’t know’

The hearing on Tuesday was the first time Garma and Leonardo saw each other again after she testified on the task force patterned after the “Davao model.” 

Leonardo, also a retired police colonel and also under House detention, repeatedly denied to lawmakers that he knew anything of the supposed reward system in the war on drugs.

Asked by one lawmaker if this meant that Garma is a liar, Leonardo said: “I don’t know. Maybe [Garma] knows about it.”

Responding, Garma said she merely divulged what she knows to be true: “Sinabi ko lang ang totoo na alam ko.”

“Sana po makapag isip nang maayos si Sir (I wish Sir can think clearly),” Garma said of Leonardo, who repeatedly told the committee that the task force Duterte wanted to enforce the antinarcotics campaign did not materialize and remained only a proposal.

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