Ben Madilynn
MANILA – Retired police colonel Royina Garma, who previously served as the director of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), was ordered detained by the quad committee of the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 12, 2024. The committee cited Garma in contempt for allegedly lying and evading questions during a hearing on drug war-related deaths under the previous administration.
The panel, led by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, approved a motion to hold Garma at the Batasan complex until the investigation concludes or she decides to cooperate.
“If she changes her mind and she suddenly cooperates, then the committee will be more than willing to accommodate her motion for reconsideration,” said Barbers, overall head of the quad committee.
Garma, who had a notable career in law enforcement before her retirement, was implicated by at least four resource persons in the alleged execution of three suspected Chinese drug lords at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in 2016.
During the hearing, lawmakers probed Garma’s relationship with former President Rodrigo Duterte and her rapid appointment as general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) shortly after her retirement from the police force in 2019.
This swift transition from law enforcement to a high-profile government position raised questions among committee members.
Garma’s police career, particularly her time as CCPO director, came under scrutiny.
Before leading the Cebu City police, she held several positions in Davao City, including station commander roles in Sasa and Sta. Ana, head of the Women’s Desk, and police administration officer. This Davao connection prompted inquiries about her relationship with former President Duterte, who previously served as the city’s mayor.
When pressed about her closeness to Duterte, Garma denied being close to the former president, stating, “Mr. Chair, I’m not close. Nag-floating pa nga ako during his time,” referring to a period when she was temporarily without a position during Duterte’s mayoral term in Davao City.
The committee’s frustration with Garma’s responses led to the contempt citation, with lawmakers accusing her of deliberately avoiding clear answers. Her testimony was sought to clarify her alleged role in the 2016 killings of suspected Chinese drug lords Chu Kin Tung, Li Lan Yan and Wong Meng Pin inside the DPPF.
Garma’s career trajectory, from her 24-year tenure in the police force to her appointment at the PCSO in July 2019, just a month after her retirement, remained a focal point of the committee’s inquiry.
The hearing highlighted the complex intersections of her law enforcement background, particularly her leadership roles in Cebu City and Davao City, with the ongoing investigation into drug war-related deaths. / PNA
