Bato denies knowledge of drug war reward system

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa yesterday denied having a hand in the cash reward system for policemen under a "Davao model" of the drug war during the Duterte administration, as alleged by retired police colonel Royina Garma.

- By MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

"I have no idea on that. There was none," Dela Rosa said, referring to Garma's allegation that policemen were rewarded with as much as P1 million per kill under the Davao template for the nationwide war on drugs.

Garma, a former general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), made the accusation during last Friday's hearing of the quad committee of the House of Representatives.

Dela Rosa was the first chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

"I don't know what Garma is saying about a 'Davao model.' I am not close to her. I only know her as close to former president Duterte. I do not know that Davao model that they are inventing," he said in an interview with dwIZ.

He said his only "brainchild" when he was PNP chief was "Oplan Tokhang," wherein police would knock on the doors of suspected drug offenders and plead for them to give up drugs.

Dela Rosa and Duterte are under investigation by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity in the conduct of the drug war that killed thousands of mostly poor drug users and street pushers.

Human rights groups had criticized Oplan Tokhang, saying it was a scheme used by policemen to collect names of drug users or pushers or even activists who were targetted by vigilantes.

Dela Rosa said the only reward money he knew was for the arrest of high-profile and "most wanted" criminals.

"My name was not included in Garma's affidavit. I am totally innocent of that. But honestly speaking, if you are a policeman, you do not need a reward money to do your job," Dela Rosa said.

The senator was not mentioned in Garma's affidavit, but his name was in a matrix she prepared and presented before the quad committee.