Connect with us

News

DOJ tasks BI to bring Garma back from US

Published

on

Royina Garma, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office general manager and retired police colonel. (Photo: House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook)

By Benjamin Pulta, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has tasked the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to facilitate the return of former police colonel Royina Garma from the United States.

In a news release on Tuesday, the DOJ noted that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have confirmed that Garma was detained along with her daughter Angelica Garma Vilela in San Francisco, California on Nov. 7. The DOJ did not elaborate on the arrest.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he has directed Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado to facilitate Garma’s repatriation.

Remulla hopes that Garma will continue to cooperate fully with the ongoing government investigations stemming from recent Congressional hearings.

During the quadcom hearings at the House of Representatives, the former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) official implicated former president Rodrigo Duterte in the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS) and the alleged reward system that incentivized police officers to carry out drug-related killings.

“We are committed to seeing justice served in every case and to upholding the integrity of our justice system, especially when it involves our country’s significant issues and concerns. While we work to ensure the safe return of Ms. Garma, we trust that she will remain cooperative with all ongoing investigations,” Remulla said.

“The cases against her or involving her have not yet been filed, we are still conducting case buildup. In any case, she is considered  a very important witness by the quadcom, that is why we intend to offer her witness protection for that matter, at least for the matter which the quadcom is seeking from her. Of course, there are other things which may not be necessarily in conjunction with what the quadcom has considered.”

Meanwhile, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said the newly-created task force on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) would include a reinvestigation into the killing of PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga.

A police officer implicated Garma in the assassination of Barayuga in 2020.

“The DOJ remains steadfast in supporting law enforcement and ensuring accountability as part of its mandate to uphold justice and the rule of law,” Fadullon said.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle23 hours ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle1 week ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle2 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle2 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

7 Creative Ways to Propose!

Sometime in April 2022, my significant other gave me a heads up: he will be proposing to me on May...