MANILA, Philippines- Iginiit ni dating presidential chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo na ang akusasyon ni retired Police Colonel Royina Garma na payment at rewards system para sa pagpaslang sa drug suspects sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte ay “pure imagination or fertile speculation.”
Kasunod ang pahayag ni Panelo ng paglalahad ni Garma sa House Quad Committee na inatasan umano siya ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na maghanap ng opisyal na maaaring magpatupad ng “Davao model” ng war on drugs sa buong bansa, isang sistema kung saan ginagawaran ng hanggang P1 milyon kapalit ng pagpatay sa drug suspects.
Pinabulaanan ni Panelo ang alegasyon ni Garma, sinabing naganap ang umano’y pulong noong Mayo 2016, isang buwan bago maupo sa pwesto si Duterte noong Hulyo 2016.
“What is evident is that Garma may have succumbed to threat or intimidation under pain of incarceration if she did not make the allegations contained in her affidavit,” ani Panelo.
“Garma claims she declined being part of the alleged intended replication of the ‘Davao model,’ if that is so, she could not have any knowledge of the Davao model plan—assuming there was one—if it was pursued or operated,” dagdag niya.
Dahil dito, sinabi ni Panelo na ang nalalaman ni Garma na plano umanong labanan ang ilegal na droga ay pawang “hearsay” at wala umano itong personal na kaalaman hinggil dito.
“When FPRRD declared war on drugs and made a statement that he would kill those involved in illegal drugs, he was making a commitment that he would pursue them to the ends of the earth to prosecute and put them behind bars, which he did during his incumbency—resulting to its almost total destruction that brought security and peace of mind to the citizenry,” sabi ni Panelo.
“The political enemies and detractors of FPRRD will not stop at throwing the kitchen sink at him by using coercion and money to compel persons to testify falsely against him,” patuloy niya.
Libo-libong Pilipino, karamihan ay mahihirap ang nasawi sa drug war ng nakaraang administrasyon. RNT/SA
