Malacañang said it supports the possible filing of criminal and administrative charges against former National Police Commission head Edilberto Leonardo, who resigned from his post last week following his implication in two high-profile murder cases.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the executive branch will leave it up to the Department of Justice and Office of the Ombudsman to determine the next steps based on the evidence against Leonardo.
“The Palace will support the filing but will leave the decision to file entirely to the DOJ or Ombudsman,” he said.
Leonardo’s resignation followed accusations linking him to the murder of former PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020 and the deaths of three Chinese drug convicts at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in 2016.
Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza earlier told the House Quad Committee that Leonardo and retired police colonel and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma conspired to have Barayuga killed.
Garma on Friday told the House Quad Committee that a task force led by Leonardo in Davao City was at the center of the Duterte administration’s reward-driven war on drugs.
In her sworn affidavit, Garma detailed how financial rewards incentivized the killings of drug suspects.
Garma revealed the bloody anti-drug campaign was carried out under Duterte’s orders, with his trusted aide, now Senator Christopher Go, and Leonardo playing key roles in its implementation.
Leonardo, then CIDG Region 11 chief, assembled a team of trusted operatives to carry out the drug war’s operations, patterned after the infamous “Davao Model” used during Duterte’s time as mayor—a system that rewarded police for killing drug suspects.
The group included Rommel Bactat, Rodel Cerbo, Michael Palma, and Lester Berganio, who were all stationed at CIDG-Davao, according to Garma.
She said these operatives were tasked with gathering intelligence on drug suspects and compiling reports on arrests and killings.
“They were discharged from service on or about a year ago due to an operation that led to the killing of one individual,” she said.
“Rewards were only given for killings, while for arrests, only the funding of the COPLAN and a refund for the expenses was given,” Garma added, referring to the case operation plan.
Garma told the Quad Committee that while she did not know the exact amounts, the cash reward for drug-related killings ranged from P20,000 to P1 million, depending on the target.
Her testimony also highlighted the links between the drug war and operations within the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), where some of the country’s most prominent drug lords were incarcerated.
The task force not only conducted operations on the ground, but also maintained a direct line to high-ranking officials, she said.
Garma testified Leonardo regularly briefed senior law enforcement officers, including those from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police.
Garma’s affidavit further revealed Leonardo had full control over the list of drug personalities targeted by the task force.
She said Leonardo had the authority to decide who would be included on the list, classify their threat levels, and remove individuals from the list as needed.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Palace leaves filing of possible charges against Leonardo to DOJ, Ombudsman.”
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