Royina Garma held in US, to be deported

MANILA, Philippines — Retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma has been held in the United States and will face deportation, according to the Department of Justice.

The DOJ said Garma and her daughter Angelica Vilela were apprehended and detained by US immigration authorities in San Francisco, California on Nov. 7.

Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval confirmed Garma’s departure through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on the same day.

Sandoval said Garma departed for the US at around 7:30 a.m. and was processed in compliance with set immigration procedures. Garma took United Airlines Flight UA190’s 9:55 a.m. flight to Washington.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Garma was detained by the US border control because her visa had been canceled over a “human rights issue.”

“I think that is a human rights issue. That was considered by the US government in canceling her visa. I don’t know who asked for it, but certainly, when she was in Japan going to the US, she was informed that her visa had been canceled already,” Remulla replied when asked why the US canceled Garma’s visa.

Garma had attempted to go to the US last August, but was blocked because her visa had been canceled without her knowledge.

Remulla said Garma would be deported and the DOJ chief has ordered the BI to coordinate with their US counterparts and facilitate Garma’s return to the Philippines.

“While we work to ensure the safe return of Ms. Garma, we trust that she will remain cooperative with all ongoing investigations,” Remulla said.

Remulla said Garma managed to get past NAIA immigration since her US visa was still on her passport and there was neither a hold-departure order against her nor an immigration lookout bulletin.

This is because there are no cases filed in court against her yet as the DOJ is still conducting case build-up on possible charges she may face in terms of her role in the killings related to the bloody war on drugs waged by Rodrigo Duterte when he was mayor of Davao City and then president.

Philippine National Police public information office chief Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo confirmed that no cases have so far been filed in the country against Garma in connection with her alleged involvement in the killing of former PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

“As of now, there is no prohibition on her travel outside of the country, as no case has been filed that would warrant a hold departure order,” Fajardo said in a press briefing at Camp Crame yesterday.

In a separate interview, Fajardo also confirmed Garma’s arrest.

Garma was released from detention last week by the House of Representatives quad committee, which is conducting an inquiry into extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, as she no longer has any contempt charge after she committed to attend future hearings.

Remulla said the government intends to give Garma witness protection as she is considered a “very important witness” by the House quad comm.

“We will offer her protection and we will make sure that she is in contact with us,” the justice secretary said.

Interpol informed Philippines

Meanwhile, the Interpol was among those who informed Philippine authorities about Garma’s arrest, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a press briefing at Malacañang yesterday.

Remulla said he has no idea why the US visa of Garma’s daughter was also canceled.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government chief said the Bureau of Immigration has already coordinated with the US Immigration and Naturalization Service, and Garma and her daughter are expected to take a flight back to the Philippines today.

“Upon (Garma’s) arrival here, she would go directly to the Senate as she is a witness... She has to be detained again in the Senate,” Remulla said.

The DOJ said it hopes that Garma will still cooperate with the ongoing investigations on drug war killings despite the recent lifting of her contempt order by the quad comm.

During one of the panel’s hearings, Garma broke her silence about the alleged killings under Duterte and narrated how the former president started his drug war.

Garma also confirmed the reward system under Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, patterned after a “Davao model” where financial rewards and funding for planned operations and reimbursement for operational expenses were provided.

Garma also confirmed that Duterte had a “death squad,” a group of men who carried out his kill orders.

Quad didn’t ask for lookout bulletin

The quad comm has not asked for a lookout bulletin against Garma because she had cooperated and testified before the panel, according to its co-chairman, Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez.

“We have no advise to that effect because no case has been filed against her yet, because we all know that she has not been charged yet. We submit to her assurance to us that she will be present any time we need her,” Fernandez said in an interview with “Storycon” aired on One News yesterday.

He added that since her last testimony before the quad comm, Garma has maintained communication with the committee through her lawyers.

Garma may have been put on hold by US authorities due to her involvement in extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration, according to Fernandez.

“I believe that she was also held in Japan in the past. I don’t specifically know why she was held in Japan. Maybe the same case – her involvement in EJK. The EJK is in ICC (International Criminal Court), most likely there is a connection there,” Fernandez said.

“She was released before Undas. They have already told us whatever we want to know. They will return whenever we need them. In fact, she and police Col. Edilberto Leonardo came back in quad comm during the last, last hearing. But during that time, we did not question them because the former president was not there. Their leaving the country was not in our hold. We are just an inquiry in aid of legislation. Basically, the other agencies should know Garma’s departure from the country,” he said. — Rudy Santos, Helen Flores, Jose Rodel Clapano