MANILA, Philippines — Former Davao Prison warden confirmed that former President Rodrigo Duterte congratulated him for the killing of three Chinese nationals allegedly involved in drug operations in 2016.
At the House quadcom’s fifth public hearing on Thursday, September 12, Bureau of Corrections Senior Superintendent Gerardo Padilla said that Duterte called him up on his personal cellphone to personally congratulate him right after the alleged Chinese drug lords were murdered inside Davao Prison.
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“Pinapatotohanan ko ang sinabi ni Tata na noong papunta kami sa investigation section ay tumunog ang cellphone ko, at ito ay sinagot ko. Ang tumawag sa akin ay si dating Presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Padilla said.
(I confirm what Tata said, that while we were on our way to the investigation section, my cellphone rang, and I answered it. The person who called me was former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.)
According to Padilla, this was what Duterte said: “Job well done, pero grabe ang ginawang dinuguan (but the bloody killing is unbelievable).”
When the call ended, Padilla told the people he was with, including handcuffed inmates Leopoldo “Tata” Tan Jr. and Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro, “Tumawag si presidente, nag-congrats sa akin. (The president called, congratulating me.)”
This was declared in the supplemental affidavit, the fifth sworn statement, that Padilla submitted to the joint committee on September 4, and is in line with Tan’s testimony.
The former Davao Prison and Penal Farm warden was granted an executive session with the quadcom that day.
Tan and Magdadaro had already named Duterte on August 22 when they shared in detail how they stabbed the three Chinese nationals to death.
RELATED: Rodrigo Duterte ordered 2016 killings of alleged Chinese drug lords — witnesses
What claim is still being denied?
Padilla is not the only chief named in carrying out the killing of the alleged Chinese drug lords.
On September 4, the former warden claimed that former retired police lieutenant colonel Royina Garma was the mastermind of the operation. However, Garma denied this to lawmakers at the public hearing on Thursday.
Padilla reiterated to lawmakers that he had received an order from Garma who called him, telling him to cooperate since the operation is part of Duterte’s war on drugs.
“Habang kami ay nag-uusap ni Col. Royina Garma sa telepono nang mga oras na iyon ay sinabi niya na, ‘Huwag kang makikialam, may mga tao kami diyan sa loob. Alam mo naman na programa ito ni Presidente Durterte sa drug war’,” he explained.
(While Col. Royina Garma and I were speaking on the phone at that time, she said, “Don't interfere, we have people inside. You know this is President Duterte's program in the drug war.”)
The call was made through former policeman and inmate Jimmy Fortaleza, Garma’s classmate at the Philippine National Police Academy in 1997.
Garma, however, said she did not make any calls despite the claim having been made by four witnesses — Padilla, Tan, Magdadaro and Fortaleza.
Duterte appointed Garma as the general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in 2019 when she retired.
Meanwhile, with Padilla’s affirmation, the House mega panel is still deliberating on whether or not they will grant Padilla immunity.
The quad committee continues to probe government officials who were named in Padilla’s testimony to be involved in the extrajudicial killings of Duterte’s drug war.