The recent exposé by former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma during the eighth House Quad Committee hearing on October 11, 2024 has intensified the scrutiny surrounding the deadly war on drugs spearheaded by former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Garma’s testimony has provided shocking new details about the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) under Duterte’s presidency. In an interview by Rep. Bienvenido Abante, Jr., the chairman of the Committee on Human Rights and one of the lead chairmen of the Quad Comm, he expressed the willingness to extend invitations to Duterte, Senator Bong Go, and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to attend the hearings and face these damning allegations.
Royina Garma, once a trusted ally of Duterte and a former police officer, delivered a stunning testimony that pulled back the curtain on the ruthless tactics used by law enforcement under Duterte’s regime. She revealed that police officers were not only encouraged but incentivized to kill suspected drug offenders rather than arrest them, with directives coming from Duterte himself. Garma detailed how the war on drugs is a deliberate and systematic campaign orchestrated to instill fear and terror in communities across the Philippines.
Most significantly, Garma’s testimony directly implicated Duterte, Bong Go and Bato Dela Rosa in the campaign, exposing them as key figures in these extrajudicial killings. Duterte was revealed as the head and orchestrator of a merciless, blood-soaked war that prioritized killing over justice. Meanwhile, Bong Go, a trusted aide and confidant of Duterte, was the one who provided funds for the rewards of the killings. Dela Rosa on the other hand allegedly served as the chief enforcer of the drug war as head of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In the wake of Garma’s revelations, the House Quad Committee has expressed willingness to extend formal invitations to Duterte, Bong Go and Dela Rosa to attend the hearings, giving them the opportunity to face the public and respond to these damning accusations. The committee has shown a firm commitment to uncovering the truth and holding accountable those who orchestrated and supported the brutal campaign.
However, despite this invitation, there is widespread doubt that any of the three will actually appear before the committee. For years, Duterte, Go and Dela Rosa have repeatedly dodged inquiries and investigations into their roles in the drug war, employing legal maneuvers and political influence to evade responsibility. Duterte, in particular, has consistently dismissed criticism of his administration’s human rights abuses.
If Duterte would be truthful with his strongman persona, he would face head on the investigation of the Quad Comm. Go and Dela Rosa would follow in the footsteps of their leader.
It remains to be seen whether Duterte, Bong Go and Dela Rosa will attend before the Quad Comm. The public hopes that they show up so that we can get answers for the issues that have been plaguing our country. All we can do is to hope that they would appear before the Quad Comm for the sake of truth and justice.
