Quad comm issues show-cause order vs police who claimed he was coerced to corroborate EJK cash rewards

The House quad committee issued a show-cause order against Police Colonel Hector Grijaldo after skipping its investigation on Thursday into the Duterte administration’s brutal drug war despite appearing in an earlier parallel probe in the Senate. 

Grijaldo did not provide an excuse letter but submitted a medical certification—through his lawyer—indicating that he is suffering from shoulder joint pain, among others. 

However, Deputy Speaker David Suarez questioned the authenticity of Grijaldo’s excuse, considering that the prescription has no indicated date. 

“Other than that, on another page of his medical certificate, again there is no date mentioned in his letter that he has forwarded to the committee. So I would just like to find out Mr. Chair, is this verified and true?” Suarez said. 

The Senate launched a parallel investigation into the same subject matter on 28 October, wherein Grijaldo claimed—under oath—that quad comm co-chairs Dan Fernandez and Bienvenido Abante Jr. coerced him into corroborating the so-called incentives given by former president Rodrigo Dutrete to police in exchange for killing drug suspects. 

Fernandez and Abante have repeatedly denied the allegations, asserting that they only acted on retired police Colonel Royina Garma’s recommendation that they meet with Grijaldo, citing his supposed knowledge about the alleged cash reward scheme.

Garma previously disclosed that the monetary rewards ranged from P20,000 to P1 million, depending on the prominence of the target. 

She alleged that this model was modeled after the “Davao template,” which allegedly developed during Duterte's tenure as Davao City mayor that also rewards cops with cash for killing criminals.
During the tenth hearing on Thursday, Fernandez said he is willing to inhibit himself as co-chairperson and be a resource person to ensure impartiality in the discussion on the allegations made by Grijaldo in the Senate.

“That’s what I intend to do, to inhibit myself in the discussion about this issue and together maybe with Chairman Abante, we will be trying to relieve temporarily our chairmanship in order to discuss this in a transparent and impartial and honest investigation on this matter,” he averred.

“Because this pertains to the integrity of this quad comm and we don’t want this Quad Comm to be deluged with so many bad comments about what Chairman Abante and this representation have done in order to ferret out the truth,” the lawmaker added. 

Nevertheless, Fernandez said he is looking forward that Grijaldo would heed the show-cause order so that they could finally settle the issue in the proper forum. 

In an interview on Friday, panel co-chair Dan Fernandez said they are ready to face possible lawsuits, including subornation of perjury, which former president Rodrigo Duterte has indicated he will press against him.

Garma’s legal counsels, Emerito Quilang and Rotciv Cumigad, who stood as “witnesses” at the meeting of Fernandez and Abante with Grijaldo, also belied the latter’s allegations. 

“The discussions were focused on ensuring clarity and understanding of Colonel Garma's affidavit, particularly regarding any knowledge Colonel Grijaldo might have about the reward system mentioned in it,” the joint statement reads.

“At no point did any of the congressmen attempt to pressure Mr. Grijaldo into conforming to a predetermined narrative,” it added. 

Grijaldo accused Abante of attempting to convince him to do their bidding by implying that he could get a promotion to police general.

The police officer said that he felt “insulted” and “corrupted” by the conversation he had with Fernandez and Abante but he refused to be influenced by them.

Fernandez and Abante, nonetheless, said they would not take Grijlado’s accusations sitting down, citing the gravity of his testimony that was made under oath. 

Duterte previously said that he would file lawsuits against Fernandez, including subornation of perjury, for pressuring resource persons to making false testimonies.