Retired police Col. Royina Garma must reveal everything she knows about how Duterte, his valet and now Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go as well as the executor of Oplan Double Barrel, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Sen. Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, implemented the “war on drugs.” After reading her affidavit before the quad committee hearing at the House of Representatives on Oct. 11, 2024, this is her final option. Garma is now walking dead as far as that vicious Duterte syndicate is concerned.
De la Rosa, who jumped over hundreds of superiors when Duterte named him PNP director-general, was as notorious as his patron for threatening death to anyone who crossed him, from generals to privates, if they didn’t follow his orders and if they were on the take. His usual Camp Crame pep talk, laced with curses and expletives, had been recorded for posterity. Under his direction, notorious PNP officers beholden to Duterte were shipped to Luzon and launched their bloody campaign in Caloocan City, Quezon City, and in Bulacan, killing dozens via the “nanlaban” scheme, with emaciated victims using rusty cal. .38 “paltik” revolvers.
Her supplemental affidavit has become the basis for her death sentence from the Duterte syndicate, never mind if Garma’s subsequent revelations could include an admission that she was Digong’s paramour, as disclosed by the very long affidavit of retired SPO4 Arturo Lascanas, which alleged that Davao City police officers believed Garma’s child was actually Digong’s daughter. Lascanas also noted the reward money for Davao Death Squad (DDS) operations came from the Duterte bank located at the anteroom of the mayor’s office, where the paymistress held court. The paymistress amply rewarded the assassins of the broadcaster Jun Pala with at least P1.5 million, his testimony showed.
That Garma was assigned to search for the foreman for the “war on drugs” by the architect Duterte himself falls squarely on the standard modus operandi of the Davao City godfather, who was not original as he learned the ropes from a deceased police officer who told criminals to leave, or else they die. Not native to Davao as he hailed from a Luzon province noted for producing “balisong” (butterfly knife) or the “bente nueve,” Lascanas knew the fellow officer. When Duterte took over as mayor, he inherited the unassuming but efficient cop. Garma’s revelations also corroborate the testimony of Lascanas and another hitman, Edgar Matobato y Bernal, a militiaman who admitted killing civilians as ordered by the Boss.
The close Duterte-Garma ties were confirmed when Garma told the then president-elect Duterte in May 2016 on who could head the national task force to rid the country of the drug menace. Her choice was retired police Col. Edilberto Leonardo, a fellow graduate of the PNP Academy (PNPA) and a dedicated enforcer who happened to be a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) as Duterte required. The mission to execute the Duterte drug war was a sensitive one and only people who won’t squeal like Bong Go and Bato de la Rosa could be let in on the covert campaign. Add Garma to the mix. As Machiavellian as he is, Duterte must have his own “matrices” on his circle of lieutenants to prevent them from talking. Yet, trapped sewer rats eventually squeal. Their blood is more important than Duterte’s ill-gotten cash.
On Oct. 12, 2024, Bong Go pontificated that he is lily-white on the issue of the bloody “war on drugs.” He argued: “I have no participation whatsoever, directly or indirectly, in the operational requirements of the war on drugs.” Go is Duterte’s gatekeeper and anyone who wishes to see, talk, or meet Duterte must pass through him. It has been reported that Go also keeps Duterte’s medicines and painkillers and perhaps the special equipment needed for his boss to breathe easier. Garma admitted he facilitated the meetings of Leonardo and Go initially. Beyond that, Garma seems to say, she was out of the loop.
In his lachrymal denial, Bong Go said: “Let me be very clear. My office had nothing to do with the operation and organization of the police force. I also had no hand in the Office of the President’s finances since that was not part of my mandate before.” His apologia only confirmed his role in the scheme, saying “however, I want to clarify that there was no reward system being implemented before in exchange for anyone’s life.” In law, his statement was negative pregnant, denying first but admitting later that he was in the know about the reward system. Filipinos were not born yesterday, honorable senator.
The usual sophomoric Go yarn went on to plead with the Senate to conduct an impartial investigation into Garma’s statements, arguing they were “clear diversionary tactics to muddle the true issue she is facing, her participation in an alleged murder plot.” If Go were monitoring the quad committee hearings at the House of Representatives, he would have known that the drift was not only on Garma’s abuses at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) but also into the drug war and the assassination of PCSO executive and retired Brig. Gen. Wesley Barayuga. For the finale, Go rued that “it’s saddening that times have changed. Politics are being mixed into investigations and we’re forgetting everything the previous administration did to rid the country of criminality and drugs for the future of our nation and our children.” The Duterte valet again essays the role of a Palace courtier lamenting that the country is not thankful for the 30,000 people killed in the drug war and the thousands of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in its failed campaign against the New People’s Army (NPA). Duterte syndicate members should have their heads examined.
