THE denials of Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Lawrence “Bong” Go on their alleged participation in the implementation of the Duterte administration’s policy encouraging extrajudicial killings and in the EJK cash reward system in the brutal anti-drug campaign do not hold water.
Reps. Dan Fernandez of Sta. Rosa City, Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte and Bienvenido Abante Jr. of Manila, the key leaders of the four-committee panel known as Quad Comm, shared this view.
The panel is currently investigating issues involving EJKs, illegal Philippine offshore and gaming operators (POGOs) and dangerous drugs.
“The evidence so far unearthed in the Quad Comm belies Senators Bato’s and Bong Go’s denials of EJK involvement and existence of the reward system that was public knowledge during the previous administration, particularly in the Philippine National Police (PNP),” said Fernandez, Chair of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety.
Fernandez said at least two witnesses, retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma and Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, testified that a scheme of payouts to hitmen neutralizing or killing drug suspects existed.
“Not only did it exist; it was managed by higher-ups, meaning by Malacañang (Duterte administration),” said Fernandez.
Barbers, lead chair of the Quad Comm and chair of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, cited Espenido’s testimony that millions, perhaps billions, in rewards “flowed from the level of Sen. Bong Go, a close aide of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.”
Quoting Espenido, Barbers said the reward system was funded by money from jueteng and other illegal gambling activities, intelligence funds, PCSO’s notorious small-town lottery (STL) operations and POGOs.
“Our impression is that the intelligence funds came from the Office of the President and the PNP. When these funds are audited, we will find out who is telling the truth or lying: Sen. Bato and Sen. Bong Go, or Garma and Espenido,” said Barbers.
He said he would tend to believe the two witnesses instead of Dela Rosa and Go’s individual statements.
In the case of money from POGO, jueteng and STL operators, Abante, co-chair and head of the House Committee on Human Rights, stressed that it is evident that “these funds indeed flowed from the top.”
Abante pointed out that testimony establishes that in 2016, Dela Rosa and Go were seen in Duterte’s meeting with senior police officers, including Garma and retired police colonel and now National Police Commission Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo. The meeting was held at the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) regional office in Davao City.
According to Abante, witnesses said “the Davao City EJK template and reward system was discussed during the meeting. A few weeks later, the assassination of drug suspects in police operations and by riding-in-tandem hired guns started. It is not difficult to connect the dots.”
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