Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday claimed that former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Royina Garma is cooperating with prosecutors of the International Criminal Court in building a case against Senator Christopher Go.
Trillanes said Garma, a former police colonel appointed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte, has agreed to testify on the administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“She’s in a safe place at the moment, and she will testify against Duterte, and also, she’s part of the build-up of the case against Mr. Bong Go,” he said in an interview with Bilyonaryo TV.
Trillanes said Garma was no longer in Malaysia despite previous reports, and that she was currently being “processed” by the ICC team.
According to him, Garma will provide details about the government’s anti-drug operations, including an alleged system of incentives for police officers involved in extrajudicial killings.
He described the Duterte administration’s drug campaign as having two operational arms, one led by Senator Ronald Dela Rosa and another linked to Go.
Trillanes alleged that Dela Rosa oversaw the Philippine National Police’s “tokhang” operations that targeted alleged drug users and pushers.
He said the second branch, allegedly under Go’s supervision, carried out special operations that targeted rogue police officers and rival drug syndicates.
Trillanes claimed the killings were connected to conflicts between Duterte’s alleged associate Michael Yang and other criminal organizations.
“Duterte’s partner was Michael Yang, and they had rivals from another syndicate, another triad. Those were the ones being killed by Bong Go’s branch,” he alleged.
Trillanes suggested that Garma helped systematize the killings at a national scale after Duterte assumed office.
Garma previously appeared before the House Quad Committee to testify on matters related to the Duterte government’s drug war.
