Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte | PHOTO: ROBINSON NI脩AL/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Former President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 call to former police colonel Royina Garma was not only about his explanation of his preference for the head of the national task force that implemented the drug war, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez said on Thursday.
In an online press briefing, Fernandez said there were two more topics discussed when Garma and Duterte talked last October 17, contrary to Garma鈥檚 initial claims that it was only about why Duterte preferred an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member as head of the task force.
However, Fernandez admitted not having the clearance from Garma鈥檚 lawyer to disclose the two聽other topics, as it is a private conversation between her and Duterte.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to break it (details) here unless they have some approval, so that they would not feel betrayed after they mentioned this information in confidence, right?聽 Then suddenly we would speak. I think it鈥檚 not fair for them,鈥� he said in Filipino.
鈥淪o give us time, we will talk to them again鈥ctually, there are two big issues there, chairman Barbers (Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers) knows that, but these two topics, I think it is quite heavy,鈥� he added.
READ: Garma: Duterte called to explain choice for drug war task force leader
When asked to clarify if Garma talked to Duterte other than the INC topic, Fernandez said 鈥測es,鈥� noting that it was about the testimony and their relationship.
鈥淚t鈥檚 actually embarrassing to INC because they are dragged into these issues when these should be personal,鈥� he said in Filipino.
鈥淪o basically what I, together with the chairmen, discussed with Col. Garma was not about that. It鈥檚 about something else, about her testimony, about their relationship, something like that,鈥� he added.
Quad committee lead presiding officer Barbers declined to give details, but he agreed with Fernandez that contrary to Garma鈥檚 statements at the previous hearing, it was not just a one-minute call.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a private conversation. She only shared what she can share,鈥� he added.
Last Tuesday, Garma said Duterte called her to explain that an INC member was needed for the task force because they are known to be careful with handling money.
Garma said during the October 11 quad committee hearing that after Duterte was elected president in May 2016, he聽contacted her asking that she find a Philippine National Police (PNP) operative that can implement the drug war on a national scale, with the 鈥淒avao template鈥� in mind.
The Davao template refers to a reward system where police officers who kill drug suspects in operations are given a monetary reward ranging from P20,000 to as high as P1 million.
READ: Garma says Davao drug war template, rewards system applied in entire PH
Duterte said the task force head has to be an INC member, leading Garma to former police colonel Edilberto Leonardo, a former member of the PNP鈥檚 Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
Garma also said that Leonardo told her that he made a proposal outlining the task force鈥檚 operations, coursed through Sen.Bong Go who was then the special assistant to Duterte.
She also admitted that initially, she facilitated the meetings between Go and Leonardo. Eventually, Garma said that the two men 鈥渆stablished direct communication.鈥�
Garma testified that it was also Leonardo who conducted briefings for all Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency officials and even Philippine National Police chiefs, and had the final authority on who would be on the watchlist.
Last Tuesday, Leonardo initially denied Garma鈥檚 claims, but he eventually corroborated two of her sworn affidavits.
READ: Leonardo: Rewards system existed; validates Garma鈥檚 testimony