IKINANTA ng dating warden ng Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) ang ginawang pananakot umano sa kanya ni dating Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Royina Garma upang hindi tumutol sa pagpatay sa tatlong Chinese drug lord noong 2016.

Sa pagdinig ng quad committee noong Miyerkules, binawi ni Supt. Gerardo Padilla ang kanyang naunang salaysay na hindi nito nakausap si Garma, na dating deputy chief ng Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) sa Davao, kaugnay ng pagpatay kina Chu Kin Tung, alias Tony Lim; Li Lan Yan, alias Jackson Li; at Wong Meng Pin, alias Wang Ming Ping.

“During the Public Hearing of the House Quadcom held on Aug. 28, 2024, when asked if I had the conversation with then CIDG Garma, I denied it because I was under threat and I am concerned with my safety and that of my family who lives in Davao City,” ani Padilla sa nilagdaang dalawang pahinang affidavit na isinumite sa quad comm.

“In fact and in truth, I had a conversation of CIDG Chief Garma as mentioned above but I did not divulge at the time for security reasons,” dagdag pa niya.

Nauna ng sinabi ng mga persons deprived of liberty (PDL) na sina Leopoldo Tan Jr. at Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro na sangkot si Padilla sa pagpatay sa tatlong Chinese nationals na iniutos umano ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

”I am executing this affidavit to attest to the truth of the foregoing and to correct the testimony I gave during the Quadcom Public Hearing,” ani Padilla.

Saad niya na sa pagitan ng mga taong 2015 at 2016, noong siya ay nagsisilbing acting superintendent ng DPPF, tinawagan siya ni Garma sa pamamagitan ng cellphone ng inmate na si Jimmy Fortaleza, at sinabihan na huwag makikialam sa mga trabahong gagawin sa DPPF.

Si Garma noon ay opisyal ng CIDG sa Davao.

“Prior to such killings, I have been subjected to an intense pressure by then CIDG Officer Royina Garma who called me up through the cellphone of another inmate Jimmy Fortaleza,” ani Padilla.

“Chief Garma told me ‘may mga tao kami dyan na gagawa at huwag mo na kwestiyonin, and whether you like it or not we will operate and do not interfere, baka madamay pa pamilya mo.’ She added that ‘mag cooperate ka na lang or mananagot ka sa amin,’” pagpapatuloy niya.

“To my mind, the call from then CIDG Officer Garma was intense pressure and threat to me because I knew for a fact of the operation made against a certain drug lord in Leyte days before she called me,” saad pa niya.

Nangamba umano si Padilla sa kanyang kaligtasan kaya hindi nakialam kahit na natugunan na mayroong masamang balak sa tatlong Chinese drug lords.

“Because of the call of CIDG Garma, I became wary of my safety and I began to observe the personnel of DPPF who among them were the people referred to by CIDG Garma,” wika pa niya.

“Although I have not personally met CIDG Garma, I knew the one I talked with was Garma because inmate Jimmy Fortaleza told me Garma wants to talk to me and thereafter handed over to me his cellular phone,” sabi pa niya.

Idinawit din ni Padilla ang isa pang opisyal ng piitan na gumagawa ng sarili niyang aksyon sa DPPF.

“Among the personnel I have strong inkling to consider as people referred to by Ms. Garma was then Deputy Superintendent for Security Operation Robert Quinto and inmate Jimmy Fortaleza,” paglalahad niya.

“Since the time of the call of CIDG chief Garma, I have since desisted from interfering with the security operations of the DPPF and allowed Deputy Quinto to make his own moves,” pagbabahagi pa niya.

“On the day of the killings, I was already in my quarters and no longer on duty. When I was informed of the incident, I immediately went to the crime scene and ordered medical team to bring the PDL to Davao Medical Center,” ani Padilla.

Matatandaan na ipina-contempt ng komite si Padilla noong Agosto 28 dahil sa pagsisinungaling sa isinagawang pagdinig ng quad comm na nagsisiyasat ukol sa mga POGO, bentahan ng ilegal na droga, EJK at iba pang isyu.

Ilan pa sa mga testigo sa quad comm ang idinawit kay Garma sa pagpaplano at pagsubaybay sa pagpaslang sa loob ng DPPF. Inimbitahan na siya ng komite ngunit bigo pa ring humarap sa pagdinig.

“These are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of abuse that we believe Garma had a direct hand in. The gravity of these allegations cannot be overstated,” nauna ng sinabi ni Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, ang lead chairperson ng quad comm.