TIP OF THE ICEBERG
TWO members of the so-called Young Guns described the revelation of retired police colonel Royina Garma about the involvement of former President Rodrigo Duterte and former presidential assistant Christopher “Bong” Go in the alleged payments and rewards to police officers during the brutal war on drugs as just “tip if the iceberg.”
Representatives Jefferson “Jay” Khonghun and Francisco Paolo Ortega V said the revelations of the former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager gave Filipinos a peek into the inner workings of the Duterte administration.
“Mind you, it’s just the tip of the iceberg – so to speak. It comes from the perspective of an insider who has not just the trust and confidence, or the eyes and ears of the former president, but even beyond that,” Khonghun, said.
“So, this is not something that cannot be easily ignored. This testimony definitely carries with it much credibility, most especially if other witnesses, including documentary evidence, will corroborate whatever Garma may have to say as a matter of public record,” he added.
For his part, Ortega, noted the disclosure made by Garma before the Quad Committee last Friday night was only the beginning of a deeper and more alarming issue regarding how extrajudicial killings were carried out in the previous administration.
“Please take note that Garma’s explosive testimony before us involves not just hundreds, but thousands of lives lost to drug operations where even innocent children and teenagers were killed – all in the guise of combatting the drug menace in the streets,” he said.
“There is much more to uncover, and we are committed to getting to the bottom of these serious allegations. The Quad Comm will not stop until all the facts are laid bare because this is about accountability,” Ortega emphasized.
