The curious case of Royina Garma

Just after we wrote that the Duterte administration’s drug war was a façade, Royina Garma’s bombshell revelations shook us further. Garma, a former police colonel and ex-head of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), provided a detailed testimony in last Friday’s Quadcomm hearing. She unveiled the inner workings of Duterte’s drug war, including allegations of a reward system for extrajudicial killings (EJKs).

What I found particularly perplexing was Garma’s decision to make a full confession, especially considering that her statements implicated her in the very operations she described. It’s hard to imagine her breaking under pressure, given that many accounts from the hearings painted her as a cruel, ruthless figure.

Yet during the hearing, we saw a different Garma — a woman overwhelmed by emotion, crying uncontrollably as she began reading her affidavit. If she had indeed been involved in and profited from something as sinister as the Davao Death Squad, her ability to distance herself emotionally from the consequences of her actions may have allowed her to continue her role without guilt. However, her decision to come forward and confess triggered a collapse of this moral disengagement, leading to intense emotional reactions.

According to sources within Quadcomm, Garma was torn by guilt and conscience, to the point of contemplating suicide. Instead, she chose to tell the truth. If her death came as a result of speaking out, at least it would have been meaningful. Last Friday, we witnessed Garma re-engaging with her moral compass.

Although her affidavit had been prepared in advance, the raw emotion Garma displayed was far from scripted. We saw a genuine shift in her demeanor. Her confession seemed cathartic — long-suppressed feelings of guilt finally surfaced as she now faces the consequences of her past actions.

In my view, Garma’s transformation is tied to her love for her daughter. Weeks ago, testimonies depicted her as a cold, calculating enforcer of the drug war, ordering killings without hesitation. Yet, whenever her daughter’s condition was mentioned, she displayed deep emotional vulnerability.

This is why I believe Garma’s affidavit speaks the truth. By revealing the truth, she has shown remorse and emotional turmoil over her involvement in the fraudulent drug war.

Garma’s testimony when combined with that of Arthur Lascañas could significantly strengthen the case for the ICC investigation into the extrajudicial killings and the brutal drug war. Garma and Lascañas both held influential positions within the Duterte administration’s power apparatus: Lascañas on the city scale and Garma on the national scale.

Garma’s testimony is essential in demonstrating not just the scale of the violence, but a clear chain of command. It is pivotal in proving that the EJKs were part of a systematic and state-sponsored campaign. Direct links to state leadership is crucial in prosecuting crimes against humanity.