The House of Representatives quad committee has detained retired police colonel Royina Garma for allegedly evading questions during an investigation into extrajudicial killings on September 12, 2024.
The House’s mega-panel took the unusual step of citing Royina Garma in contempt, ordering her detention within the House premises. Representative Joseph Stephen Paduano initiated the motion after Garma hesitated to answer whether she had close ties to former President Rodrigo Duterte. Although Garma eventually denied any special relationship with Duterte, her initial hesitation was enough for the committee to approve the contempt citation.
Garma, visibly distressed, responded to the motion with tears. Lawmakers debated her detention location, initially considering a women’s correctional facility in Mandaluyong or the Philippine National Police Custodial Center. However, they ultimately decided to hold her within the House premises.
Garma, who previously served as Cebu City police chief and general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office under Duterte, was summoned by the quad committee due to her alleged involvement in the killing of three Chinese drug lords in Davao City. Several persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) implicated her in their affidavits, pushing the House panel to issue a subpoena compelling her attendance at the hearing.
Self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) member Arturo Lascañas claimed in his affidavit to the International Criminal Court that Garma was also a DDS member. Leopoldo Tan Jr. and Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro, both PDLs, further alleged in their affidavits that Duterte and other officials were involved in the killings of Chu Kin Tung, Li Lan Yan, and Wong Meng Pin, who were detained at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm. Garma is said to have been the superior of Arthur Narsolis, the officer who reportedly ordered the killings. Former prison chief Corrections Senior Superintendent Gerardo Padilla also stated that Garma had threatened him against intervening in the operation targeting the Chinese drug lords.
The gravity of these allegations made Garma a key figure in the ongoing investigation into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. Her failure to attend previous hearings led the House to issue a subpoena to ensure her presence, marking this as her first appearance before the committee.
Despite her emotional plea for release, citing the urgent needs of her daughter, the lawmakers decided to uphold her detention order. Representative Dan Fernandez suggested that Garma’s daughter be brought to the House facilities, a proposal that the panel considered before adjourning for the day.
Garma’s detention underscores the intense scrutiny former Duterte administration officials now face regarding extrajudicial killings. This development marks a significant moment in the ongoing investigation into the controversial war on drugs.
Source: Rappler