Ex-police colonel Garma eyed as ICC witness vs Duterte, DoJ says

RETIRED POLICE colonel Royina M. Garma, who linked former President Rodrigo R. Duterte to the systematic murder of thousands of drug suspects, flew to Malaysia to meet with officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Department of Justice (DoJ) confirmed on Monday.

This comes just a day after Ms. Garma, also former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager, arrived in the Philippines after the United States denied her asylum request.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday reported the departure of Ms. Garma on Sunday evening, aboard a flight heading to Kuala Lumpur.

According to the bureau, Ms. Garma boarded a flight at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 that departed for Kuala Lumpur at 10:43 p.m. on Sunday and left as a tourist.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla confirmed on Monday that Ms. Garma is now in Malaysia to meet with ICC officials regarding her possible role as a witness in the case against Mr. Duterte.

“A few months ago, she appeared in our conversations, or she was a subject of our conversations with Senator Trillanes because of her possible testimony in the ICC,” Mr. Remulla told reporters.

“The ICC had been asking Sonny Trillanes about making her available to be a witness in the case against Duterte in the ICC, in the Hague.”

The BI said that Ms. Garma is the subject of an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) issued on Nov. 15, 2024, in connection with cases in 2016 and 2020.

The government allowed Ms. Garma’s departure despite the ILBO, citing concerns over her safety. “Given that and the fact that she’s going to Malaysia to meet with the ICC, it gave us reason to say ‘okay,’” he said, noting this is the best way to protect her.

“We have said that our working relationship with the ICC involves witness protection. And the best way to protect her is really for the ICC to meet her abroad because her life can be in danger in our country. Let’s face it, uniformed personnel are the enemy.”

The bureau said it followed the procedure set in the ILBO and reported the matter to the DoJ. Upon verification, it confirmed that there was no hold departure order or warrant of arrest issued against her.

Ms. Garma returned to the Philippines on Sept. 6 via NAIA Terminal 1 from Los Angeles, California, after nearly 10 months in the US. She was deported after US authorities denied her asylum request, following the cancellation of her visa in November 2024.

She left for the US while a House committee investigated the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

At the time, Ms. Garma testified that Mr. Duterte had directed her to implement the “Davao model” of the drug war across the country. The same committee later cited her in contempt for allegedly evading questions about her role in the campaign.

Ms. Garma is also facing murder and frustrated murder complaints over the 2020 killing of former PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga. She has denied the allegation.

Meanwhile, the ICC on Monday announced it postponed the start of the confirmation hearing against Mr. Duterte, initially scheduled on Sept. 23.

“Following a request from the Defense of Mr. Duterte for an indefinite adjournment of the proceedings alleging that Mr. Duterte is not fit to stand trial, the majority of the Chamber considered that a limited postponement of the hearing on the confirmation of charges was warranted to allow sufficient time to adjudicate the request and related matters,” it said in a statement.

“The Chamber will, if applicable, set a specific date once it has addressed such outstanding matters.”

It noted that Judge María del Socorro Flores Liera issued a dissenting opinion, saying the request should be rejected. She also asserted that the pre-trial proceedings, including the hearing, intended to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds, should continue. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking