‘BLESSING’
THE deadly war on drugs by the former Rodrigo Duterte administration could have led to thousands more casualties if not for the pandemic brought about by the COVID-19 virus which forced Filipinos to stay home and helped reduce crime at a record level.
The Philippine National Police said officially, there were at least 6,000 drug personalities who were killed in anti-narcotics operations from July 1, 2016 to March 2022 although other news organizations and human rights groups claimed that the death toll is over 12,000.
As PNP chief General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil called on his predecessors to clarify their roles on the “bloody war on drugs” during the Duterte administration amid the serious allegations made by retired Colonel Royina Garma that the former president offered a monetary reward for every drug personality killed during his time, it would be prudent to say that minimal drug-related killings happened during the pandemic.
Records will show that the former president imposed a strict lockdown in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas in March 2020. It was the start of the Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine wherein unauthorized persons were not allowed to leave their homes and were only given government supplies.
The lockdown was likewise imposed in many of the country’s 81 provinces by local governments as the government tried its best to fully vaccinate all Filipinos at risk from catching the deadly virus.
It was only on July 22, 2023 when President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. lifted the state of public health emergency brought about by the pandemic.
Garma, who resigned from the police service to become the general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office during the Duterte presidency, claimed that the former chief executive and his other high-ranking officials sanctioned covert operations replicating the Davao City model of alleged extrajudicial killings on a national scale.
PNP chiefs during the Duterte administration were now retired Generals Ronald ‘Bato’ M. dela Rosa, now a Senator, Oscar D. Albayalde, Archie Francisco F. Gamboa, the late Camilo Pancratius P. Cascolan, Debold M. Sinas, Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar and Dionardo B. Carlos and PNP Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant Gen. Vicente D. Danao.
It was under Gen. dela Rosa that the PNP started its ‘bloody war on drugs’ anchored on their Oplan: Double Barrel which include the infamous Oplan: Tokhang or ‘knock and plea’ approach to convince drug suspects to surrender to the police and undergo rehabilitation.
At least 6,000 drug personalities died in reported gunfights with the police during Duterte’s term.
Dela Rosa was Duterte’s top cop from July 1, 2016 to April 19, 2018. He was set to retire at the age of 56 on January 21, 2018 but the former president extended his term for three months before he was appointed as Bureau of Corrections director.
It was believed that under dela Rosa, police killed more than 4,000 suspected drug users and dealers in anti-narcotics operations where officers were accused of sweeping through predominantly poor communities to target suspects on ‘drug lists.’
He was replaced by Albayalde who became the PNP chief from April 19, 2018 to October 14, 2019.
Albayalde became the PNP Officer-in-Charge from October 14, 2019 to January 20, 2020 and was eventually appointed as PNP chief by Mr. Duterte on January 20, 2020. He was the PNP chief when the country recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19 or on January 30, 2020 to be exact. Gamboa retired on September 2, 2020.
He was followed by the late Cascolan who was PNP chief from September 2 to November 10, 2020; then by Sinas from November 10, 2020 to May 8, 2021; by Eleazar from May 8 to November 13, 2021; and Carlos who was PNP chief from November 13, 2021 to May 8, 2022.
Danao became the PNP-OIC from May 8 to August 1, 2022.
Dela Rosa, Albayalde, Gamboa and Cascolan are all members of Phlippine Military Academy ‘Sinagtala’ Class of 1986 while Sinas and Eleazar are from PMA ‘Hinirang’ Class of 1987.
Carlos is from PMA ‘Maringal’ Class of 1988 while Danao is a classmate of Gen. Marbil from PMA ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991.
Officials said the “bloody campaign on drugs” was known to have taken a virtual dive during the tenure of Gamboa as it was already pandemic time then, with all Filipinos fighting day-to-day to survive the deadly virus.
“Drug operations during the pandemic literally halted to grind. There were very few operations then as both criminals and the police tried their best not to catch the virus. Known criminals stayed home while police enforced a strict lockdown. As a result, there was a record low criminality during that period,” said a police operations officer in 2020 who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Garma claimed that the former chief executive and his other high-ranking officials sanctioned covert operations replicating the Davao City model of alleged extrajudicial killings on a national scale.
“We take these allegations very seriously. We will thoroughly investigate Garma’s claims to ensure accountability and transparency within our ranks,” Gen. Marbil said.
The top cop likewise underscored the importance of restoring public trust in the PNP, particularly in light of the recalibrated anti-drug campaign aimed at prioritizing human rights.
Garma made the revelations during a recent Quad-Committee (QuadComm) hearing, presenting a matrix which suggested that former PNP Chiefs were aware of these covert operations.
The former PCSO official claimed that the Duterte administration implemented a tiered reward system for cops involved in the war on drugs. The amount allegedly was as high as P1 million for drug personalities ‘eliminated’ on a national scale.
In her sworn statement, she also implicated Colonel Edilberto Leonardo who had just recently resigned as a commissioner of the National Police Commission as a key figure in implementing the alleged scheme.
Garma recounted her initial interactions with Duterte, which began with a direct call instructing her to report to his residence in Davao City. In that meeting, she claimed that Duterte tasked her with identifying a high-ranking officer in the PNP to lead a national anti-drug initiative.
Garma identified Col. Leonardo, alleging that he subsequently collaborated with Duterte and his aide, now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, to establish a new Task Force comprising so-called “liquidators” across the country.
Her affidavit named several members of the PNP Academy (PNPA) Classes of 1996 and 1997, whom she alleged have actively participated in these operations. Garma belongs to PNPA Class 1997 while Leonardo is originally from PNPA Class 1996 but graduated as a member of PNPA Class 1998.
Gen. Marbil said he has ordered a thorough investigation into Garma’s serious allegations.
“Our commitment to human rights and accountability is paramount. We must work diligently to regain the trust of the people and ensure that law enforcement operates within the bounds of the law,” he said.
The PNP chief also announced that measures would be implemented to strengthen public confidence and prevent similar abuses in future operations.
Garma has pledged to provide more details and names in an upcoming Executive Session with the QuadComm, raising questions about the potential serious implications for those involved in the controversial drug policies of the Duterte administration.