2 inmates tag ex-president Duterte in Chinese 'drug lords' killings

Former president Rodrigo Duterte has been personally tagged in the killings of three convicted Chinese nationals in Davao jail in 2016 by the two inmates who allegedly executed the crime in exchange for a P3 million reward.

Leopoldo Tan disclosed before the House quad comm second hearing on Thursday that he was asked by his former classmate, SPO4 Arthur "Art" Narsolis, who was then assigned at the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG)-11 in Davao City, to kill Chu Kin Tung, Jackson Lee, and Peter Wang in exchange for P1 million each.

Apart from the monetary incentives, Tan said Narsolis also promised to help them freed from jail after the execution of the killings.

The Chinese nationals were then serving sentences in the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) for their involvement in illegal drug activities. Two of the Chinese were reportedly previously convicted for operating a drug laboratory in Parañaque City. 

Tan detailed that he, along with another inmate, Fernando "Andy" Magdadaro, murdered the three Chinese nationals inside the Disciplinary Dormitory or "bartolina" of the DPPF in compliance with their alleged deal with certain authorities with links to Duterte.

Tan and Magdadaro recalled they stabbed to death the three Chinese on the night of 13 August 2016—merely one month after Duterte took office.

According to Tan, he was serving jail time for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, when Narsolis approached him in July 2016 to carry out the crime.

"SPO4 Arthur Narsolis pleaded with me and he said, 'I will give you a job and there is a blessing from the higher-ups. Maybe we can help you to be released [from prison], we will talk to the president'," said Tan in Filipino while reading his affidavit.

Tan continued, "I accepted SPO4 Arthur Narsolis' offer of money and a promise that I would be released because I believe in the capacity and ability of his boss, Col. Edilberto Leonardo, that they will fulfil their promise because they have strong [connection with the higher-ups."

Following the murder, Tan alleged that Supt. Gerardo Padilla, whom he claimed instructed them to dispose of the weapons they used in the crime, received a phone call from Duterte congratulating him for "the job well done."

"I know that Supt. Padilla is talking to President Duterte because I'm familiar with his voice," Tan said in Filipino. "After the call, Supt. Padilla said to his colleagues, 'the President called, congratulated me,'" he added.

Tan and Magdadaro confirmed receiving the reward but pointed out that the police officials did not commit to the initial agreement of P3 million and only received P1 million each.

Magdadaro also lamented the undelivered promise of the police to help them be released from jail once they executed the crime.

"We waited for the promised release but until now we are still in jail. I am giving this statement because of my frustration with them," Magdadaro stressed in Filipino.

"Everything I said is true and no one taught or influenced me to do this. I'm also aware that this could be be used against me or work in my favor," Magdadaro added.

After Tan directly implicated Duterte in the said crime, Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. moved to invite the former president to the next hearing to shed light and answer the serious allegations being levelled against him in connection with the so-called extrajudicial killings. 

Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers, chairperson of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs that comprised the quad comm, approved Gonzales' motion.

Meanwhile, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., who heads the House Committee on Human Rights, which is part of the quad comm, urged anew Senator Ronald "Bato" de la Rosa to face the inquiry on the EJK, whom he spearheaded as Duterte's PNP chief.

"I also want to tell Senator Bato de la Rosa that I hope he attends [this probe] so that he won't have to use the media to talk about this," Abante lamented. 

"He said that the killing caused more than 20,000 collateral damage. My goodness! You killed 20,000 because of the war on drugs and you only call it collateral damage?" he continued.

Abante admitted to believing that the issue of illicit drugs has been a long-standing problem that the country cannot combat.

"What I do not believe is that why would more than 20,000, as others have said 36,000, should be killed. There should not be anyone to be killed just to be able to defeat drugs in this country," he stressed.

"Even right now we still have problems [with] drugs. Meaning, our drug problem did not go away even though it killed 36,000 people."

The human rights panel had previously invited Duterte and De la Rosa, but the two persistently ignored it, contending that the congressional hearing was not the proper forum to address EJK allegations. 

De la Rosa also cited the inter-parliamentary courtesy—a long-standing tradition in Congress where members of both chambers accord each other respect and do not meddle in each other's affairs—to justify his non-participation in the House inquiry.

The quad comm, composed of Barbers' and Abante's panel along with the Committees on Public Accounts and Public Order, was designed to identify the possible links between illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, illicit drug trade, and the alleged EJK of the Duterte administration, which reportedly resulted in the deaths of 7,000 people. 

Local and international human rights organizations, however, estimated that the death toll exceeded 30,000, affecting predominantly low-income families and communities.