Panelo slams Garma 'Davao model' affidavit

Salvador Panelo, former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Spokesperson for President Rodrigo Duterte, has dismissed the allegations made by retired police official Royina Garma regarding the supposed existence of a "Davao model" related to Duterte's war on drugs. Panelo described Garma’s claims as baseless and pure speculation, asserting that she has no personal knowledge of any such plan.

Garma, in her affidavit, suggested that there was an effort to replicate a supposed “Davao model” of fighting illegal drugs. According to her, this model was based on rewards for eliminating drug lords, dealers, and addicts, and was intended to be implemented nationwide during Duterte's administration. However, she claimed that she refused to participate.

Panelo countered Garma’s statements, pointing out several inconsistencies. He noted that the alleged meeting Garma referred to took place in May 2016, while Duterte only assumed office in July of the same year. He emphasized that Garma herself did not claim to be part of the model's implementations and raised the question of how she could have had knowledge of it.

Panelo also dismissed the notion that Duterte’s war on drugs involved a system of financial rewards for killings, calling it "pure imagination" and "fertile speculation." He stressed that Garma’s knowledge of the plan was purely based on hearsay, conveyed by sources rather than through any direct involvement. According to Panelo, Garma’s allegations seem to stem from pressure or intimidation, possibly due to threats of imprisonment if she did not testify.

In his defense of Duterte’s administration, Panelo reiterated that Duterte’s commitment to the war on drugs was a constitutional one. He said that during Duterte’s presidency, the campaign focused on prosecuting drug criminals, not extrajudicial killings, and that significant progress was made in dismantling drug syndicates, bringing peace and security to the country.

Panelo further condemned what he called a coordinated effort by Duterte's political enemies to tarnish the former president’s legacy by coercing witnesses to make false statements. He concluded that these efforts would ultimately fail, as the Filipino people are aware of the truth.

Here is the full statement released by Salvador Panelo:

"The alleged meeting between him and FPRRD was on May, 2016. FPPRD assumed office as President only July, 2016.

The so called Davao model of payment and rewards is pure imagination or fertile speculation.

Garma does not claim that she was a part of or an operator or executioner of the Davao model, so how could age have known of its operation, assuming it did exist?

Garma claims she declined being part of the alleged intended replication of the “Davao model”, if that is so, she could not have any knowledge of the Davao model plan — assuming there was one — if it was pursued or operated.

It is noticeable that her so called knowledge of the alleged plan to fight illegal drugs is all hearsay. She says the information was conveyed or relayed to her by her sources. She has absolutely no personal knowledge.

What is evident is that Garma may have succumbed to threat or intimidation under pain of incarceration if she did not make the allegations contained in her affidavit

One can not launch a successful war on drugs without an effective legal strategy to neutralize the drug cartel and organized crime, which necessarily will involve funding from the government.

Police operations must be sufficiently financed for effective enforcement of the laws against illegal drug trafficking.

There is no such animal as FPRRD giving reward money in exchange for killing a drug lord, a dealer or a pusher or a drug addict.

When FPRRD declared war on drugs and made a statement that he would kill those involved in illegal drugs, he was making a commitment that he would pursue them to the ends of the earth to prosecute and put them behind bars, which he did during his incumbency—resulting to its almost total destruction that brought security and peace of mind to the citizenry.

When he was a candidate for President in 2016, he made a vow that he would eradicate the illegal drug menace, run after criminals, kick out corrupt government officials and give his countrymen comfortable lives.

This vow or commitment to the voting population was factored in their choice of him as their candidate they would vote for President.

That consummated the contract between then candidate Duterte and Filipino people specially those who overwhelmingly voted for him.

As President, FPRRD did not renege from his sacred pact with the people and he executed his pledge to the fullest constitutionally permissible.

The political enemies and detractors of FPRRD will not stop at throwing the kitchen sink at him by using coercion and money to compel persons to testify falsely against him.

These political scoundrels will not succeed. The Filipino people can see through their evil intentions."