News Roundup 11 October 2024
Oct 11, 2024 • 6 min Read
Garma says Davao drug war template, rewards system applied in entire PH | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Retired police colonel Royina Garma has confirmed that the past administration adopted a so-called “Davao template” in terms of the war against illegal drugs, where officers involved in the killing of drug suspects are rewarded.
Garma, during her testimony at the House of Representatives’ quad committee on Friday, was emotional as she read a supplemental affidavit regarding the drug war. In the affidavit, Garma confirmed that there are three modes of payment or rewards — first, for every suspect killed; second for the planned operations; and third, the refund of operational expenses.
According to Garma, it was former president Rodrigo Duterte who contacted her about the creation of a national task force.
“I was already acquainted with then-Mayor Duterte, having served as a Station Commander in one of the police stations in Davao during his tenure. During our meeting, he requested that I locate a Philippine National Police officer or operative who is a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, indicating that he needed someone capable of implementing the war on drugs on a national scale, replicating the Davao model,” Garma said.
“This Davao Model referred to the system involving payment and rewards […] The Davao Model involves three levels of payments or rewards. First is the reward if the suspect is killed. Second is the funding of planned operations. Third is the refund of operational expenses,” she added.
According to Garma, she told Duterte that she is unaware of “any individual with those qualifications” as she has not been assigned outside of Davao. However, she remembered her upperclassman, National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo who was also a former police colonel, who is a member of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and was also a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo.
“I mentioned his name to the President. On the same day, a certain individual named ‘Muking’ contacted me by phone to request Leonardo’s contact details, which I promptly provided. A week later, I learned from Arthur Narsolis via phone call that Leonardo had been summoned by the President and was instructed to proceed to the Mandaya Hotel in Davao for a meeting,” Garma said.
Full Story at: Garma: Davao drug war template, rewards system applied in PH (inquirer.net)
Dela Rosa ordered me to implicate de Lima in drug trade – Kerwin Espinosa | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Self-confessed drug lord Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa has claimed that former police chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa ordered him to implicate former Sen. Leila de Lima and Peter Lim in the illegal drug trade.
Espinosa said the directive came right after his father was killed in 2016.
He made the statement during his testimony before the House of Representatives’ quad committee on Friday.
Espinosa said it was dela Rosa who fetched him from the airport after his father, former Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., was killed on November 5, 2016.
The younger Espinosa was in Malaysia when the slaying happened.
According to Kerwin, he, dela Rosa — who was Philippine National Police (PNP) chief at that time — and other police officers entered a bullet-proof vehicle after he alighted from the airplane.
“November 17, when I arrived at around 11:00 p.m. more or less, I was fetched by local police. The one who picked me up was General Bato. He put his arm over my shoulder as we went towards the vehicle, a white Land Cruiser which was bullet-proof,” Espinosa recalled.
“When we rode the car, General Bato was in front. I was behind. I was seated between two police officers, and he told me ‘you admit involvement in the drug trade here in the Philippines,’ and that I should drag along Peter Lim and Leila de Lima so that they will be pinned down,” Espinosa recalled.
Full Story at: Kerwin Espinosa: Dela Rosa forced me to tag de Lima in drug trade (inquirer.net)
Bongbong ‘deceived’ by Sara? VP not part of admin anymore, says Marcos | PHILSTAR.COM –MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. thought he was friends with Vice President Sara Duterte, leaving him all the more confused when she publicly distanced herself from him.
In a media interview between meetings at the ASEAN Summit in Laos, Marcos was asked how his relationship with the vice president was. Duterte has admitted that she was not friends with Marcos, and their relationship was mainly based on them being runningmates in the 2022 elections.
Marcos, giving a small laugh, said he did not know what his relationship was with Duterte anymore.
“That’s a good question. I don’t know anymore. I’m not quite sure I understand. I’m a little dismayed that she doesn’t think we are friends, I always thought we were, but maybe I was deceived,” Marcos said.
Marcos was also asked why he did not appoint Duterte as the caretaker of the Philippines while he is out of the country. Before his trip to Laos, Duterte was typically Marcos’ go-to caretaker during his foreign travels.
“She left the administration, so she is not part of the administration anymore. She’s not part of the, really the day-to-day helming of what we’re doing so it will be unfair to ask her all of the sudden to impose that duty on her since that is not part of her work now,” Marcos replied.
Full Story at: Bongbong ‘deceived’ by Sara? VP not part of admin anymore, says Marcos | Philstar.com
Harry Roque’s wife ordered arrested | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque isn’t the only Roque facing an arrest order — his wife, Mylah Roque, has also been issued one by House lawmakers on Friday, October 11.
Consistently absent at the congressional probe into the illegal offshore gaming operators, with no valid excuse, lawmakers agreed on Friday to have Mylah detained at the House of Representatives.
A show cause order for Mylah was issued on September 20, compelling her to appear at the hearings and submit the documents requested by the joint committee.
This includes the spouses’ financial records, the medical certificate justifying Mylah’s first absence and papers on the properties owned by Biancham Holdings and Trading.
House lawmakers are questioning their assets after it saw a massive increase worth millions in just four years from 2014 to 2018.
Mylah’s participation in signing a lease agreement with Chinese nationals linked to an illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator in Bamban, Tarlac is also under scrutiny.
Full Story at: Harry Roque’s wife ordered arrested | Philstar.com
