From left to right: Former president Rodrigo Duterte, Senators Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa and Christopher "Bong" Go (Malacañang photo, Facebook)

First, former president Rodrigo Duterte; then Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa; and now, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go. 

Go was the latest high-profile name to be implicated in the alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during Duterte's bloody war on drugs, as per the investigation of the House quad-committee (quad-comm). 

This, after Colonel Jovie Espenido--a policeman for 28 years--narrated before the special four-way panel his experiences as the chief of police of the town of Albuera in Leyte and Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental, as written in a seven-page affidavit. 

According to Espenido, there existed a reward system for kills under the previous administration’s drug war. Moreover, he alleged that the funding for such reward came from intelligence funds and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) money “funneled downward from the level” of Go. 

“Even intelligence funds were used in the drug war. POGO money was also used. After these POGOs were able to register with the government, funding was funneled downward from the level of Bong Go,” he said in his affidavit. 

Espenido, who was given the moniker "Duterte drug war poster boy" in the past, explained how the quota and reward system for police officers worked. 

“I confirm that there was a quota and reward system in the implementation of the war on drugs during the previous administration. I truly wanted to implement it without causing deaths. When the leadership imposed a quota of 50-100 per day, we only took it to mean that we had to knock on the doors of 50-100 households suspected of drug use or pushing,” Espenido bared. 

P20,000 per kill

"I know that there was a reward of P20,000 per kill in the drug war. The funding came from operators of Small-Town Lottery (STL), or jueteng lords who give money to the police regional commanders, provincial commanders, down the line. The group or individuals who make the kill receive the money,” he added. 

“The STL money is remitted directly to the RD (regional department) or PD (provincial department). The same goes for the so-called vigilantes. The flow of money was automatic,” the active cop further said. 

Dela Rosa was the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief when Duterte launched his anti-drug campaign in 2016. Meanwhile, Go is a former Special Assistant to the President. 

Dela Rosa and Go both won Senate seats in 2019. The duo is known to be close with their fellow Dabawenyo, Duterte. 

'Automatic' flow of money

Espenido said the payment of the rewards for drug war killings was facilitated by “bagmen”. He said these deliver the money to high-ranking police officers. 

“I personally know some of the bagmen. Many PNCO (police non-commissioned officers) who were my classmates were murdered. They were bagmen acting at the beck and call of regional and provincial directors,” he said. 

“When Duterte became president these RDs and PDs pointed to their own bagmen when asked about police personnel involved in the illegal drug trade. In Cebu, a barangay captain was killed by an ex-army personnel who pretended to be a vigilante. This was established by CCTV,” he noted. 

Espenido says that some of these bagmen are still alive, and that he can talk to them to testify before the quad-comm. “I also know an intelligence officer who can disclose details of the drug war." 

He claimed that this intelligence officer can talk about his knowledge on how intelligence funds and POGO money were used in the bloody anti-drug drive of ex-president Duterte, wherein over 30,000 Filipinos were allegedly slain.

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'PNP is the biggest crime group in this country’

Espenido also raised eyebrows in the quad-comm by saying that the PNP--the very organization that he belongs to--was "the biggest crime group in this country" based on "his experience". 

Conversely, he told Antipolo City 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop during interpellation that he thinks the PNP chief was the "crime lord". 

In particular, Espenido accused Dela Rosa of shielding suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa of Leyte. 

“I believe [then-PNP] chief Dela Rosa was involved in the dismissal of the cases that l built up against Kerwin Espinosa including the burying of the cases that I was building against his police protectors or coddlers who have been receiving money from him,” the police colonel said. 

“I can say this because instead of allowing my unhampered access on Kerwin when he was apprehended in Dubai, he (Dela Rosa) mmediately ordered Kerwin's turnover to AIDG (PNP Anti-Illegal Drug Group) instead of ordering his turnover to my unit which was then investigating the drug cases where Kerwin was involved,” he explained. 

“In the same vein, I have never heard again of the cases that were supposed to be filed against Kerwin's protectors, or if they actually have been filed in the first place given that decisive evidence establishing their guilt, that is, the logbook and the copies of the cleared checks in the name of these people are still in the custody of the PNP," added Espenido. 

He said in his affidavit that while drug lords exist, "there can be no drug lords without policemen protecting them". 

Espenido said that when he was transferred to Ozamiz City, Dela Rosa called him to tell him to spare a certain town mayor in his operations. He claimed that the mayor was an STL operator and suspected drug lord.
 

Espenido is currently on floating status in the PNP and is awaiting his retirement this coming October. "I did my job faithfully but I could not be promoted because I am always in some derogatory list,” he said.

'Ordinary users' were 'eliminated' 

Espenido came off to the joint panel as a straight-shooter who even cited Biblical teachings during the hearing. 

“My mission was for the drug suspects to surrender to be rehabilitated. Nobody died during my stints in Albuera (Leyte) and Bacolod,” he said. 

Expressing his views on the controversial war on drugs, the quad-comm witness said people close to the former president and his own colleagues in the Philippine National Police (PNP) abused the “tokhang” drive largely for personal gain. 

He told the solons that although some drug lords were “neutralized" in the drug war, most of those “eliminated” were “victims--ordinary users, peddlers". 

“Para sa akin, mga biktima sila. Gusto ko sana silang bigyan ng second chance (For me, they are the victims. I wanted to give them a second chance)," he said. 

Espenido said that in Leyte, Ozamiz City, and Bacolod City, where he was assigned to, he told his men to spare the “victims” in the anti-drug campaign and go after big-time pushers, suppliers, and drug lords instead.