MANILA, Philippines — Retired police chief Royina Garma received P1 million weekly from illegal gambling before she took office as general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in 2019, a former Cebu City mayor said.
On Thursday, September 19, former Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña brought a copy of a PCSO report during the sixth public hearing of the House’s quadcom, offering lawmakers potential evidence of Garma’s close ties with former President Rodrigo Duterte, who appointed her as the PCSO general manager.
The report, dated May 2018, indicated that a local government unit (LGU) had discovered Garma, along with other police officials, to be collecting P1 million weekly while serving as head of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in Davao City.
“In Central Visayas, the LGU in Bohol province has identified PSupt Royina Marzan Garma of CIDG-7 of receiving ‘payola’ from illegal gaming operators/financiers in the amount of around P1 million every week,” it read.
The report also stated that “LGU executives and PNP directors are doing nothing” in the implementation of Republic Act 9287 and Executive Order 13, series 2017. These laws were passed to regulate online gaming and increase penalties for illegal gambling.
According to Osmeña, the PCSO report was provided to him before Garma was going to be assigned as Cebu City’s police chief in July 2018.
Having opposed her transfer, Osmeña said he personally informed Duterte and Sen. Bong Go of this report, but no actions were taken.
Duterte's only response was appointing Garma as PCSO general manager in 2019 despite her lack of qualifications to lead the agency.
“She is vicious. Don’t let Garma’s tears fool you. She’s more dangerous than the police,” Osmeña said in an ambush interview with reporters.
“What the PCSO has lost, P80 billion, is more than Napoles stole, more than what Pharmally stole,” he added.
The former mayor also alleged that Garma persuaded the ombudsman to suspend him for a year after intervening to rescue three vendors from harassment by police officials, emphasizing her strong influence.
Garma is a resource person at the quadcom’s probe on drug-related extrajudicial killings and illegal operations of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO).
She has been named by several witnesses as the person behind the killing of three purported Chinese drug lords in the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in 2016.
The retired police chief is currently detained at the House of Representatives after lawmakers deemed she was lying during the hearing on September 12, citing her in contempt.
The House plans to invite Osmeña to the next public hearing to provide information about extrajudicial killings and POGOs in the country.