The House panel cited retired police colonel Royina Garma in contempt on Thursday, September 12, during the Quad-Committee hearing on former president Duterte’s war on drugs.
In the joint public hearing, the four House Committees interrogated the retired police colonel and former general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on her ties with Duterte and the war on drugs. The panel noted that Garma spent most of her career in the province of Davao.
Garma admitted to supporting the former President’s war on drugs, stating that she believes in the intensified police patrol using the quad concept. Besides her ties with Duterte’s projects, Abang Lingkod party-list Representative Stephen Paduano highlighted her travel records from the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
In 2023, the records showed that Garma went out of the country 13 times; While in 2024, she traveled abroad six times. Paduano questioned whether her travels were sponsored by anyone from the government, as it was done after her retirement as a police colonel.
“Who sponsored you? How can you afford to travel 13 times in one year, (when) you’re no longer an official of the government? This is an official travel. Where did you get (the money)?” Paduano questioned.
Garma answered that the travels were shouldered by her cousins in the US, while the other flights were paid for by herself. Paduano suggested having the former’s bank accounts waivered, stating that she traveled abroad every month in 2023. However, Garma did not consent to the suggestion.
Paduano then asked about her relations with the former President, as she was appointed as the PSCO Chairman 15 days after her retirement. Moreover, he stressed on Garma helping out her classmates get promoted at that time.
“Yes, you’re close to the (former) President, you’re special. Kasi tanungin mo yung mga classmates mo, ikaw yung tumulong for their promotion during the time of (former) President Duterte. That’s why I’m asking the DIDM (Directorate of Investigation and Detective Management) to submit to this committee all the years and promotion of all your classmates,” Paduano said.
He also noted how Mayor Osmeña insisted on Garma only being an officer-in-charge, as she was never on the list of qualified applicants.
“Ang daming qualified (applicants), why you?” he stressed.
Garma stated that she does not feel close nor special to Duterte, but the argument was refuted by Paduano. Due to this, Paduano moved to cite Garma in contempt for evading the questions asked by the panel.
“I move to cite in contempt Ms. Garma for lying and evading questions being asked by the members of this committee and including this representation,” Paduano motioned.
The House panel approved the motion, saying that Garma violated Section 11 Paragraph C of the House rules and procedure for her refusal to answer relevant questions. Garma will remain under the custody of the House of Representatives until the Quad-Committee hearing is terminated.
