12-10-2024 (MANILA) Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who served as the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief during the early stages of the Duterte administration’s controversial war on drugs, has vehemently denied any knowledge of a reward system for police officers involved in anti-narcotics operations.
The denial comes in response to recent allegations made by former police colonel Royina Garma, who testified before the House of Representatives about a tiered reward system for eliminating drug personalities, allegedly based on a “Davao Model”.
Dela Rosa stated, “I have no idea about that reward system. During my time as the Chief, PNP, I did not engage in a reward system because I had no funds for that.”
Garma, who also previously served as the general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, claimed in her testimony that former President Rodrigo Duterte had personally contacted her in May 2016. According to Garma, Duterte requested her to recommend a police officer who could implement the Davao City model on a national scale.
The alleged “Davao Model”, as described by Garma in an affidavit, comprised three levels of payments or rewards for police officers: a reward for killing a suspect, funding for planned operations, and refunds for operational expenses. Under questioning, Garma suggested that rewards for killing drug personalities ranged from 20,000 to 1 million Philippine pesos.
Dela Rosa, who previously served as Davao City police chief, expressed uncertainty about Garma’s motivations for testifying. He maintained that the only reward system in place during his tenure was the “Department of the Interior and Local Government-approved list of most wanted persons”.
The senator’s denial contradicts claims made by Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido in August. Espenido, known for his involvement in bloody anti-drug operations, told a House committee that a quota and reward system existed in the implementation of the war on drugs. He alleged that rewards were sourced from gambling operations, including illegal games, and that the system was “very known” within the PNP.
Dela Rosa rebuffed these claims, stating, “I did not believe in implementing a reward system because it is a sworn duty of every policeman to keep his area of responsibility free from drugs.”
The allegations and denials come amidst ongoing scrutiny of the Duterte administration’s drug war, which has been a subject of controversy both domestically and internationally. Official figures acknowledge over 6,000 deaths in anti-narcotics operations, though human rights groups estimate the toll to be significantly higher.
