A former city police chief has accused Rep. Dan Fernandez (Lone District, Sta. Rosa, Laguna) of pushing him to back claims about a reward system in the country’s drug war.

In the ongoing Senate inquiry into the drug war, ex-Mandaluyong City Police Chief Colonel Hector Grijaldo shared that Fernandez and Rep. Bienvenido Abante (Chair of the House Committee on Human Rights, Manila, 6th District) met with him and lawyers representing retired colonel Royina Garma on October 22—the same day a House Quad Comm panel was set to convene.

“Dan Fernandez put the paper he was holding on the table and told me, ‘Ito ang sasabihin mong statement na ito’, while pointing on the paragraph on the paper, ‘Ito ang supplemental affidavit ni Colonel Garma, sabihin mong alam mo ang reward system. I-confirm mo lang’,” Grijaldo explained.

(Dan Fernandez put the paper he was holding on the table and told me, ‘This is the statement you will say,’ while pointing to a paragraph on the paper, ‘This is the supplemental affidavit of Colonel Garma; tell them you know about the reward system. Just confirm it.’)

Grijaldo clarified that he didn’t actually know anything about this alleged reward system.

In response to the accusation, Fernandez called it untrue. While he did admit he had spoken with Grijaldo, he explained that it was only because Garma’s lawyers said Grijaldo was aware of the reward system.

“We never ask him to sign any affidavit, we ask him if have any knowledge about what Col. Garma talked about,” Fernandez stated.

Abante also disputed the claim, denying any pressure to sign affidavits.

Initially, Abante said he hoped the Senate probe on the drug war would be objective and fair, but after the recent hearing, he expressed concerns over impartiality.

“It is clear from the conduct of the Senate hearing that a conflict of interest exists and compromises the Senate’s ability to hold fair and impartial proceedings. Senators can either be subjects of the hearing or can be involved in conducting it—they cannot be both,” Abante stated.

Meanwhile, the House investigation has led to major revelations, with names like former President Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Bato dela Rosa, and Sen. Bong Go coming up. Garma even implicated Duterte, saying he promised police officers rewards for killing suspects under the drug war policy.

Despite the House hearings, Duterte chose to appear before the Senate, where allies Go and Dela Rosa were also present.

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Rep. Dan Fernandez at Rep. Benny Abante Inakusahan ng Pamimilit sa Dating Hepe ng Pulis na Kumpirmahin ang Drug War Rewards

Isang dating hepe ng pulisya ang nag-akusa kay Rep. Dan Fernandez (Lone District, Sta. Rosa, Laguna) na pinilit siya upang kumpirmahin ang umano’y reward system sa drug war ng bansa.

Sa patuloy na imbestigasyon ng Senado tungkol sa drug war, ibinahagi ng dating hepe ng Mandaluyong City Police na si Colonel Hector Grijaldo na nakipagkita sa kanya si Fernandez at si Rep. Bienvenido Abante (Chair ng House Committee on Human Rights, Manila, 6th District) kasama ang mga abogado ng retiradong Colonel Royina Garma noong Oktubre 22—sa parehong araw na nakatakdang maganap ang House Quad Comm panel.

“Dan Fernandez put the paper he was holding on the table and told me, ‘Ito ang sasabihin mong statement na ito’, while pointing on the paragraph on the paper, ‘Ito ang supplemental affidavit ni Colonel Garma, sabihin mong alam mo ang reward system. I-confirm mo lang’,” pahayag ni Grijaldo.

(Dan Fernandez put the paper he was holding on the table and told me, ‘This is the statement you will say,’ habang itinuturo ang isang paragraph sa papel, ‘Ito ang supplemental affidavit ni Colonel Garma; sabihin mong alam mo ang reward system. I-confirm mo lang.’)

Nilinaw naman ni Grijaldo na wala siyang personal na kaalaman ukol sa nasabing reward system.

Bilang tugon sa akusasyon, tinawag ni Fernandez na kasinungalingan ito. Inamin niyang kinausap niya si Grijaldo ngunit paliwanag niya, ginawa niya iyon dahil sinabi ng mga abogado ni Garma na may kaalaman ang dating hepe ng pulisya tungkol sa reward system.

“We never ask him to sign any affidavit, we ask him if have any knowledge about what Col. Garma talked about,” ani Fernandez.

Itinanggi rin ni Abante ang akusasyon at sinabing hindi niya pinilit ang sinuman na pumirma ng affidavit.

Ayon kay Abante, una niyang inaasahan na magiging patas ang Senado sa pag-iimbestiga sa drug war, ngunit matapos ang pinakahuling pagdinig, nagpahayag siya ng pagkabahala sa di umano’y kakulangan ng pagiging patas.

“It is clear from the conduct of the Senate hearing that a conflict of interest exists and compromises the Senate’s ability to hold fair and impartial proceedings. Senators can either be subjects of the hearing or can be involved in conducting it—they cannot be both,” pahayag ni Abante.

Samantala, ang pagsisiyasat ng House tungkol sa drug war ay nagbunga ng mga malalaking rebelasyon, kung saan nasangkot ang mga pangalan nina dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Bato dela Rosa, at Sen. Bong Go. Sa testimonya ni Garma, idinawit niya si Duterte at sinabi na nangako umano ito ng reward sa mga pulis na makakapatay ng mga suspek sa ilalim ng drug war policy.

Sa kabila ng mga pagdinig sa House, mas pinili ni Duterte na dumalo sa Senado, kung saan naroon din ang kanyang mga kaalyadong sina Go at Dela Rosa.

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