Former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager Royina Garma said that ex-President Rodrigo Duterte masterminded a nationwide extrajudicial killing campaign that mimicked the “Davao model” of the war on drugs. Garma’s testimony painted a picture of Duterte’s ambitions to implement a system that gave cash rewards for the killing of drug suspects.
“During our meeting, he requested that I locate a Philippine National Police (PNP) 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 told the 8th Quad Comm hearing.
She further explained that the Davao Model involved a systematic structure of payments and rewards for killings, saying, “This Davao Model referred to the system involving payments 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 (or COPLANS). Third is the refund of operational expenses.”
Garma’s testimony ties directly back to a meeting she had with Duterte in May 2016, just weeks before he took office. Her emotional testimony disclosed that several high-profile figures, including Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, were involved in the execution of the deadly campaign.
“Rewards were only given for killings, while for arrests, only the funding of the COPLAN and a refund for the expenses was given,” she stated, highlighting the morally bankrupt incentives driving the war on drugs under Duterte’s regime.
During the inquiry, Senior Deputy Speaker Dong Gonzales of Pampanga noted Garma’s emotional state as she read her four-page affidavit, asking if she felt pressured to deliver such a testimony. Garma firmly responded, “Wala po [pumilit], Mr. Chair. It took me one week to make some reflections. I realized that the truth will always set us free.”
She reiterated her commitment to speaking out, saying, “At least, I will be able to contribute to make this country a better place to live for our children.”
Duterte and other high-ranking officials from his administration are already under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for their alleged roles in crimes against humanity during what has been described as a systematic campaign of police killings.
Official police records indicate approximately 6,000 deaths attributed to the drug war, while human rights organizations estimate that the numbers may be as high as 30,000 when including vigilante killings.
The ongoing Quad Comm investigation has continually unraveled the intricate crime syndicates and brutal activities that escalated under Duterte’s watch. Garma’s testimony suggests that Duterte’s involvement in orchestrating extrajudicial killings through police forces as his enforcers is just the beginning of more revelations to come.#
