MANILA, Philippines — Retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma “should be on her way back” to the Philippines after being denied entry to the United States earlier this week, according to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez.
He said the Philippine consulate has been informed of Garma’s detention and immediate deportation.
“Her visa cancellation is most likely due to the Magnitsky Act,” ABS-CBN News quoted Romualdez as saying yesterday, referring to the 2016 law that allows the US government to ban the entry and freeze the assets of foreign government officials involved in human rights offenses.
Garma, along with her daughter Angelica Vilela, were apprehended and detained by US immigration authorities in San Francisco, California on Nov. 7.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday said the retired police colonel was detained by the US border control because her visa had been canceled over a “human rights issue” after she left the Philippines on the same day.
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Teresita Daza said the DFA, through the Philippine consulate general in San Francisco, is continuously coordinating with US authorities.
Daza added that both Garma and her daughter are currently under the custody of the US Customs and Border Protection (US-CBP) in San Francisco.
“The Philippine consulate general in San Francisco stands ready to extend appropriate assistance to Filipino nationals within its consular jurisdiction, in accordance with existing rules and regulations,” Daza said.
The quad comm released Garma from detention last week when she committed to attend future congressional hearings after earlier refusing to appear and testify.
In her testimony, she claimed to have knowledge of a so-called reward system under Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign and that the former president had a “death squad” or a group who carried out his orders to kill criminals in Davao City when he was mayor.
Duterte admits knowing Garma
In a relatively more behaved manner than his Oct. 28 Senate appearance, Duterte yesterday admitted before the House that he knows Garma and her colleague, former National Police Commission (Napolcom) commissioner and retired police colonel Edilberto Leonardo.
“She is a policeman from Davao,” Duterte said, referring to Garma whom he appointed PCSO general manager, who issued an affidavit detailing how the flow of rewards came from Malacañang down to police community precincts.
Duterte likewise conceded knowing Leonardo, a member of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), whom he appointed for a short while as undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and later as Napolcom commissioner with a fixed six-year term.
“I only know that (Leonardo is) a policeman, but I didn’t ask where he came from. Your question should be directed to Leonardo, not me,” Duterte told Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel.
The former chief executive evaded queries on allegations that Leonardo was indeed trustworthy when it comes to handling funds, considering his INC membership.
“You are asking as if you are from the COA (Commission on Audit). You’re not from COA. I don’t know anything about that,” Duterte said.
As far as Manuel was concerned, Duterte’s reply was an “indirect admission” that confidential funds were used in distributing financial rewards to alleged cops involved in extrajudicial killings, from the time he was Davao mayor until he became president.
Duterte explained that it was common for governors and mayors to have peace and order funds, which are confidential in nature, for purposes of maintaining order in the local government unit under their supervision.
“That’s why it’s called intelligence fund because it’s confidential. Don’t ask why because what I did was confidential,” he told Manuel.
Reward system
Meanwhile, Duterte denied Garma’s claims that there is a “reward system” for EJKs during his time as Davao mayor, although he admitted to the quad comm that he would give money to police for gasoline, especially when they were in hot pursuit of criminals.
“I would repeat my statement, there is a police operation that would need money. All the people in government know that. That there is no ready money. If there is an incident of kidnapping and if there is a hot pursuit, they are chasing, in gasoline,” Duterte said.
“I am really pro-police,” Duterte said.
Under questioning from Manuel, he openly admitted that monetary incentives were provided to law enforcement personnel who participated in drug war missions.
“Reward? Correct. Very correct. It’s true. Sometimes, I even give them extra,” Duterte said.
As for Garma’s allegations that there was a Davao Death Squad (DDS), the former president said it is a “very stupid allegation.”
“If there is such, there is no name,” Duterte said in reaction to Garma’s claims of DDS.
“It is not true. The money coming from me. Then I will pass it to (Sonny) Buenaventura to give it to the station commander. That is a very long story. I will call on the station commander myself,” Duterte added.
Reward money was given for big crimes that are solved, but not the way Garma had described it, according to the former president.
“Every big crime solved, whether it resulted in the killing, for as long as it is drugs. It is not presupposed for me to pay P20,000. Not like that,” Duterte said.
Garma earlier told the quad comm about a reward system patterned after the “Davao Model,” which included the notorious DDS. – Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano