Former police Col. Royina Garma, who implicated former President Rodrigo Duterte to the drug war model that rewarded cops for every suspect killed, flew to the United States on Nov. 7 where she and her daughter were promptly flagged and detained for a cancelled visa.
Garma, who was released by the House Quad Committee from detention on Nov. 4, flew to San Francisco, California with her daughter, Angelica Garma Vilela.
DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla ordered Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado to facilitate Garma’s return to the country.
“We are committed to seeing justice served in every case and to upholding the integrity of our justice system, especially when it involves our country’s significant issues and concerns. While we work to ensure the safe return of Ms. Garma, we trust that she will remain cooperative with all ongoing investigations,” Remulla said.
“The cases against her or involving her have not yet been filed. We are still conducting case buildup. In any case, she is considered a very important witness by the Quad Comm, that is why we intend to offer her witness protection for that matter, at least for the matter which the Quad Comm is seeking from her,” he added.
For his part, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Garma and her daughter were flagged by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service.
“They are now detained and are in the process of being sent home here, back here in the Philippines,” he said.
“The BI has coordinated with the INS. Once here, she will be sent to the Senate because she’s now a Senate witness. She has not been charged with any crime. She’s actually a state witness. So she has no reason to (escape)— but she has to be detained again in the Senate,” the Interior Secretary added.
Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon said the newly-created task force on extrajudicial killings (EJKs) would include a reinvestigation into the killing of PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga in 2020, for which Garma was implicated.
Garma earlier told the Quad Comm that Duterte and other high-ranking officials during his term operationalized the so-called “Davao model” of EJKs on a nationwide scale, rewarding cops for every drug suspect killed with incentives ranging from P20,000 to P1 million.
During a separate Senate hearing, Duterte denied the reward system, but confirmed he instructed police to “encourage” drug suspects to resist arrest, thus allowing officers to kill them and avoid the long process of prosecution.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “DOJ says Quad Comm witness Royina Garma arrested in California.”
