Palace backs probe into high-profile killings in Duterte’s drug war

Malacañang on Wednesday expressed support for the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) plan to reinvestigate high-profile killings associated with the drug war launched by former president Rodrigo Duterte. (File Photo: Malacañang/Website)

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Lloyd Caliwan,  Philippine News Agency

MANILA – Malacañang on Wednesday expressed support for the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) plan to reinvestigate high-profile killings associated with the drug war launched by former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“The reopening of the investigations of the high killings related to the war on drugs should indicate that the Marcos administration places the highest importance on the fair dispensation of justice and on the universal observance of the rule of law in the country,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a statement.

The PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is reviewing the cases of Tanauan City, Mayor Antonio Halili following the revelation of retired police colonel Royina Garma that police officers were involved in the killing of the local official in 2018.

Halili, who was known for his “shame campaign” against criminals and drug suspects in his city, was gunned down by a still unidentified assailant during flag-raising rites at the Tanauan City Hall on July 2, 2018.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, PNP spokesperson Brig.

Gen. Jean Fajardo said the CIDG would also look into the cases of other key personalities killed at the height of Duterte’s drug war.

The Department of Justice on Oct. 13 announced that it would also conduct a preliminary investigation of the cases of high-profile killings during drug operations carried out under Duterte’s watch.

These include the killings of Halili; Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board secretary and retired police general Wesley Barayuga in 2020; Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa in 2016; and convicted drug lords Chu Kin Tung, Li Lan Yan and Wong Meng Pin inside the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in 2016.

Garma earlier revealed during a House quad committee hearing that Duterte ordered a nationwide operation that is similar to the so-called Davao City model, a system rewarding cops for every drug suspect killed.

The cash reward ranged from PHP20,000 to PHP1 million, based on Garma’s testimony.

Garma said a task force under the leadership of retired Col. Edilberto Leonardo at the CIDG-11 played a pivotal role in the reward-based drug war of the Duterte administration.

Links between cases eyed

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said it would also look into the possible links between those behind the murder of Barayuga and Halili.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo admitted that while these issues hounding police personnel are saddening, there would be no stone unturned in finding out the truth behind these allegations.

“We will not look at the institution where the alleged personnel came from, although we admit that it really affects the institution. Still, the institution remains strong, this is a challenging time for us but the PNP leadership is confident that we would be able to surpass this,” she said in a radio interview.

Garma earlier revealed that a certain “Major Albotra”, who was at that time assigned to the Police Regional Office 7 (Central Visayas), boasted about killing Halili.