Comm. Edilberto Leonardo. | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Malaca帽ang on Monday said it would support the filing of complaints against National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo over his alleged involvement in the killings during the Duterte administration.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin made the pronouncement after Leonardo was tagged in a House of Representatives Quad Committee hearing as one of those who allegedly planned聽the killing of former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020 and three Chinese drug convicts in 2016.
鈥淭he Palace will support the filing but will leave the decision to file entirely to the DOJ (Department of Justice) or Ombudsman,鈥� Bersamin told Palace reporters through Viber.
Malaca帽ang on Sunday confirmed that Leonardo had resigned from his position.
During the quad panel鈥檚 hearing on September 27, Police Lt. Col. Santi Mendoza聽implicated Leonardo, saying Leonardo contacted him about operating a high-value drug target who happened to be Barayuga.
Senior Supt. Gerardo Padilla, former Davao prison chief,聽also bared that he had a conversation with Leonardo and former Police Col. Royina Garma about killing three Chinese nationals in the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in August 2016.
Leonardo denied the accusations and was cited for contempt by the quad panel for allegedly lying.
He was then ordered detained at the House premises.
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