By Junex Doronio
MANILA – A co-chairman of the House Quad Committee investigating the links between Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and illegal drugs, as well as human rights violations, said Friday (06 Sept 2024) that Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Senior Superintendent Gerardo Padilla might qualify as a state witness.
House Public Order and Safety Committee Chairperson Dan Fernandez pointed out that Padilla, who alleged he was instructed to back off from a kill order on three Chinese inmates convicted of drug offenses, has significant information about the drug war deaths.
Fernandez indicated that Padilla and his family’s safety might lead to him being placed under the Witness Protection Program (WPP).
“I can’t disclose much at this point, but his revelations are quite significant. He will likely be considered for the WPP,” Fernandez told reporters during a virtual press conference.
Padilla, former officer-in-charge of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF), reported to the House Quad Committee that a high-ranking Davao City police official had instructed him to avoid interfering with an operation targeting Chinese DPPF inmates convicted of drug offenses.
These inmates were murdered in August 2016.
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