Former president Rodrigo Duterte (Keith Bacongco/ MANILA BULLETIN)

"Congrats Supt. Padilla, job well done. Pero grabe yung ginawa, dinuguan (But what they did was extreme, it was a bloodbath). 

With this words, inmate Leopoldo Tan Jr. implicated former president Rodrigo Duterte in the August 2016 killings of three convicted Chinese drug lords inside the maximum security facility of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in Davao del Norte. 

Tan, along with fellow inmate Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro, appeared as witnesses on Thursday, Aug. 22 before the House quad-committee (quad-comm) hearing. There wore orange shirts that were typical of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs). 

The particular hearing focused on the alleged extrajudicial killings that took place during the previous Duterte administration, which is known for its bloody war on drugs. 

Tan and Magdadaro--reading separate sworn statements--told the quad-comm members that they were asked to kill drug lords Chu Kin Tung, alias Tony Lim; Li Lan Yan, alias Jackson Li; and Wong Meng Pin, alias Wang Ming Ping. In exchange, they were told that they would be rewarded with P1 million per head, or a total of P3 million; plus their freedom. 

Using bladed weapons, Tan and Magdadaro stabbed the trio dead within their shared jail cell. 

Afterward, as they were being led out of the cell for investigation by jail personnel, Tan said he saw DPPF chief Supt. Gerardo Padilla take a call from his mobile phone. "Dalawang dangkal lang po ang layo ko (I was just a few inches away)." 

Tan said he heard the caller give his congratulations to Padilla. He claimed it was a familiar voice. 

"Alam ko na ang kausap Supt. Padilla ay si Presidente Duterte dahil pamilyar po ang boses niya. Pagkatapos ng tawag, sabi ni Supt. Padilla sa mga kasamahan niya doon, 'Tumawag si Presidente Duterte, nag-congrats sa akin.' 

(I know that Supt. Padilla was talking to President Duterte because his voice was familiar. After the call, Supt. Padilla told his companions there, 'President Duterte called to congratulate me.) 

Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro (left), Leopoldo "Tata" Tan Jr. (Screenshot from livestream)

"Dahil sa sinabing ito ni Supt. Padilla, kaya lalo akong napaniwala na ang tumawag sa kanya ay si President Duterte," recounted Tan. 

(Because of what Supt. Padilla said, I became more convinced that it was President Duterte who called him.)

'Sayang din ‘tong isang manok kada ulo'

Tan said he was serving time in July 2016 at the Davao prison for violating Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, when his high school classmate, SPO4 Arthur “Art” Narsolis, visited him and offered a "job".

He alleged that his policeman-friend told him, “May ipapatrabaho ako sa iyo at may basbas sa taas. Baka matulungan ka rin namin na makalaya, kakausapin namin ang Presidente." 

(I have a job for you that has the blessing of higher-ups. Maybe we can help you get out of jail too, we will talk to the President.) 

Narsolis further told him: “Sayang din ‘tong isang manok kada ulo (This 'one chicken' per head would go to waste)." 

“Sa pagkakaintindi at pagkakaalam, ang isang manok ay isang milyon (Based on my understanding and knowledge, one chicken means one million),” Tan said in his affidavit. 

He said he recruited Magdadaro for the job because he was his "friend and a known killer". 

Broken promise

The killings that occurred on Aug. 13,  2016, was initially reported as an altercation among prisoners. Tan and Magdadaro pleaded guilty to homicide and were convicted. 

The two said they were paid P1 million each--or just P2 million in total, not P3 million--for the successful job. The money was delivered to their respective spouses. 

However, they expressed their anger and frustration over the broken promises of freedom. 

“Palagi kong tinatawagan si SPO4 Narsolis patungkol sa aming paglaya at ang palagi niyang sinasabi, ‘Mag-antay antay lang kayo, makakalaya din kayo, sabihan namin ang Presidente.' Naghintay kami sa pangakong iyon. Hanggang natapos ang administration, hindi kami tinulungan na lumabas,” Magdadaro said. 

(I repeatedly called SPO4 Narsolis about our release and he always said, 'Just keep waiting, you'll be released eventually, we will tell the President.' We waited on that promise. Until the end of the administration, they didn't help with our release.)

Quad-comm summons Digong

After hearing Tan's testimony, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. sought former president Duterte's attendance to the quad-comm hearing so he may personally address the allegations. 

“In the interest of fairness, may I move to invite former President Duterte to hear his side on this matter?” Gonzales said. 

Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, lead chairman of the special four-way panel, promptly carried the ,known after it was duly seconded. 

Padilla and Narsolis were also summoned to attend the proceedings following a separate motion by Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel.