FORMER Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma has further loosened up, unveiling explosive new details about the police reward system for killing drug suspects during the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs, while confirming the covert operations of the notorious Davao Death Squad (DDS).
In her supplemental affidavit submitted to the House Quad Committee investigating drug-related extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the previous administration, Garma provided a rare, firsthand account of the violent machinery operating behind the scenes of Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign.
Garma, who served as a police officer in Davao City since 1997, confirmed the existence of the DDS, a group long suspected of carrying out EJKs in Duterte’s hometown.
She noted that while the squad was an open secret, police officers were discouraged from discussing it.
“I became aware of the so-called ‘Davao Death Squad’ through various sources during my assignment in Davao,” Garma stated in her affidavit. “It was common knowledge among officers that almost all station commanders had special teams designated for specific operations. Although I did not know the identities of these teams, a culture of silence prevailed among police officers in Davao regarding such matters.”
This “culture of silence,” she said, extended to police operations, where little to no oversight was maintained over killings conducted in the name of law enforcement.
In her previous affidavit she read during the Oct. 11 Quad Comm hearing, Garma directly implicated former President Duterte in orchestrating a nationwide campaign that led to the EJKs of drug suspects.
The affidavit not only exposed the alleged reward system that incentivized the killings but also detailed the roles of Duterte and his close aide, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, in overseeing and coordinating the anti-drug operations.
Garma said the cash rewards for drug-related killings ranged from P20,000 to P1 million, depending on the target.
In her supplemental affidavit dated Oct. 22, Garma detailed her firsthand observations of the reward system during her tenure as station commander of the Sasa and Sta. Ana police stations from 2012 to 2016.
One operation she recounted took place in Barangay Malagamot, Davao City, in 2012.
Garma said she received a call from Police Lt. Col. Padua, an intelligence officer working under then-Davao City Police Director Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, informing her of an upcoming operation.
Hours later, she learned that a male suspect had been killed.
However, it was the financial aspect of these operations that set them apart. According to Garma, rewards were distributed to officers for each successful killing.
“From that operation, I received ₱20,000 from Sgt. Suan provided by Boy Alce,” she stated, referring to an individual who facilitated the distribution of rewards to officers.
Garma also recounted the death of a known male drug user and pusher near GT Gasoline Station in Panacan, Davao.
“I remember this person because, in the morning of the day of his death, the duty desk officer informed me that he went to my office and left an image of the Holy Family, to tell my men that he just went to Mass and was very happy,” Garma said. “A few hours later, he was dead.”
When Garma inquired about the incident, she was told by a certain Police Staff Sgt. Suan that the killing had been coordinated by Alce. “There was never any clearance from my office for this operation, nor was my office informed of it,” she said.
Garma outlined how police commanders were required to submit reports on successful operations at the end of each month. These reports were crucial for obtaining reimbursements for operational expenses, which included costs such as buy-bust money and gasoline.
“At the end of each month, all station commanders were required to submit reports documenting successful police operations to the LGU of Davao,” Garma explained. “These reports included details of cases filed in the Office of the Prosecutor and other relevant information concerning the operations.”
For each case, Garma said commanders were reimbursed ₱5,000, which was handled through a liaison known as “Muking.”
“The disbursement of these funds occurred monthly through Irma Espino, aka ‘Muking,’ and we were required to sign documents acknowledging receipt of payment,” Garma said.
In a previous hearing, Muking was identified as Irmina Espino, a staff member in the office of Duterte’s long-time aide, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, at the Davao City Hall.
Espino reportedly continued to work with Go when he became Special Assistant to the President at Malacañang, serving as Assistant Secretary in his office.
Garma stated in her affidavit that the rewards for killings were significantly higher.
“For the deaths of suspects, Sonny Buenaventura provided direct payments of ₱20,000 to station commanders, with no signed documentation required,” Garma said.
Garma affirmed the truth and veracity of her statements to provide information to the investigation of House mega-panel composed of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Public Order and Safety, Human Rights and Public Accounts.
