ABANTE DARES BATO TO JUSTIFY ‘ALLOWANCES’ FOR COPS IN DUTERTE ADMINISTRATION’S DRUG WAR

By Junex Doronio

MANILA – House Quad Committee co-chair and Manila Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. on Friday (18 Oct 2024) directly challenged former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to explain the legal basis for the release of additional allowances for police officers involved in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

Abante, who also chairs the House Committee on Human Rights, criticized what he described as an attempt to mask these payments as part of a “rewards system” modeled after the “Davao method,” which incentivized the killing of suspected drug dealers and users—a system that, according to Abante, led to the deaths of innocent civilians.

“If these were truly allowances, it raises more questions than answers. Was there a memo from the PNP? Did relevant agencies like the DBM approve it? Did it go through Congress, because if these were intel funds, this is public money,” Abante stated.

PCSO General Manager Royina Garma had previously testified about the existence of a “rewards system” for drug kills, allegedly patterned after the Davao model, with the directive reportedly coming from former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Garma further claimed that these cash rewards were channeled through the country’s banking system, with personalities from the office of former Special Assistant to the President and now Sen. Bong Go being involved.

Abante acknowledged Sen. Dela Rosa’s clarification that the disbursements were for operational needs, such as meals and transportation, but noted that this admission raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability.

“Assuming these were allowances, Sen. Bato needs to address key questions: Were there safeguards to ensure the funds were used for legitimate purposes? How was the distribution monitored to prevent misuse or the promotion of violence?” Abante questioned.

He added that as the former PNP chief, Sen. Dela Rosa should explain the systems in place during his tenure to prevent officers from interpreting these cash disbursements as rewards for aggressive actions.

The QuadComm intends to involve the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to verify Garma’s claims that a certain Peter Parungo processed the rewards for alleged drug kills through his accounts at Metrobank, BDO, and PS Bank.

“Is Sen. Dela Rosa telling the truth, or is this an effort to distance the program from accusations of extrajudicial killings? The truth will eventually come out,” Abante asserted.

“We now have more questions for Sen. Bato. It would be best if he attended our hearings so his statements could be made under oath. Otherwise, he might deny them later,” Abante concluded.

ia/mnm