Supt. Gerardo Padilla (Facebook)

The House quad-committee (quad-comm) has heard the testimony of a Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) official who further implicated prison warden, Supt. Gerardo Padilla in the killings of three Chinese drug lords in August 2016. 

Then-president Rodrigo Duterte was alleged to have ordered the killings---a claim that became the first bombshell of the quad-comm hearings. 

During the quad-comm hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 28, Padilla denied the allegations of inmates Leopoldo Tan Jr. and Fernando Magdadaro that he ordered their transfer, together with the three foreigners, to cell No. 6 of the Davao prison. 

On the night of Aug. 13, 2016, Tan and Magdadaro stabbed to death Chu Kin Tung, alias Tony Lim; Li Lan Yan, alias Jackson Li; and Wong Meng Pin, alias Wang Ming Ping. 

Padilla would later be cited for contempt for refusing to answer questions from the special four-way panel.  

During the interpellation of Santa Rosa City lone district Rep. Dan Fernandez, Senior Inspector Nonie Forro, commander of prison guards, testified that Padilla indeed cleared the transfer of Tan, Magdadaro and the three drug lords to cell No. 6, which is classified as a solitary confinement cell. 

Forro informed the quad-comm that there were three levels of officials approving the transfer of inmates. 

“So ikaw ang final approval? (So, do you give the final approval?)” Fernandez asked. 

“Hindi, for the final approval talaga manggagaling sa taas (No, the final approval comes from the top),” answered Forro. 

“Kay warden (Padilla), so after your approval dinala mo kay warden, so si warden ang nagsisinungaling. So ngayon ang final na approval ng pagpapasok ng Chinese together with the two PDLs is under your jurisdiction, warden,” Fernandez said. 

(Its from warden, so after your approval you brought it up with warden, so that means it's the warden who's lying. So no, the final approval of placing the Chinese together with the two PDLs is under your jurisdiction, warden.) 

Forro insisted the transfer of Tan, Magdadaro and the three drug lords had Padilla’s clearance. 

“May advise po si sir Gerry…may advise po si Supt. Padilla (This was advised by sir Gerry...Supt. Padilla gave advisory on it),” he said. 

Padilla denied Tan’s allegation, but the joint panel didn't believe him. 

Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel said even if the testimonies of Tan, Magdadaro and former policeman Jimmy Fortaleza were untrue, Padilla’s denial that he did not order the transfer of Tan, Magdadaro and the three Chinese to cell No. 6 can't hold water. 

“Hindi po tayo kindergarten dito, hindi po tayo bata, alam ho natin ‘yong regulasyon, I was a governor before, ako ay dumalaw rin ng mga provincial jails, and I know the regulations, wala pong nangyayari na mga movement ng bilanggo kung wala pong approval ng warden,” he said. 

(We're not in kindergarten, we're not children, we know the regulations, I was a governor before, I used to visit provincial jails, and I know the regulations, there's no movement of prisoners without the approval of the warden.) 

Fernandez said that Padilla should have known that placing the three Chinese with Tan and Magdadaro would create a situation. 

"We all know that these are all foreigners and high-value targets. And together with the two [inmates], that they committed and they were convicted of murder, putting them together will put those foreigners at risk. Hindi mo ba naisip ‘yon? (Didn't you think of that?)" the Laguna solon said. 

Tan and Magdadaro were allegedly offered P3 million for the job, on top of their freedom. They ended up getting only P2 million, or P1 million each. They also remained in jail even after Duterte's term ended.