BuCor exec confirms inmates' claim: Duterte applauded Chinese drug lord killings

MANILA, Philippines — Former Davao Prison warden confirmed that former President Rodrigo Duterte congratulated him for the killing of three Chinese nationals allegedly involved in drug operations in 2016.   

At the House quadcom’s fifth public hearing on Thursday, September 12, Bureau of Corrections Senior Superintendent Gerardo Padilla said that Duterte called him up on his personal cellphone to personally congratulate him right after the alleged Chinese drug lords were murdered inside Davao Prison.

“Pinapatotohanan ko ang sinabi ni Tata na noong papunta kami sa investigation section ay tumunog ang cellphone ko, at ito ay sinagot ko. Ang tumawag sa akin ay si dating Presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Padilla said. 

(I confirm what Tata said, that while we were on our way to the investigation section, my cellphone rang, and I answered it. The person who called me was former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.)

According to Padilla, this was what Duterte said: “Job well done, pero grabe ang ginawang dinuguan (but the bloody killing is unbelievable).” 

When the call ended, Padilla told the people he was with, including handcuffed inmates Leopoldo “Tata” Tan Jr. and Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro, “Tumawag si presidente, nag-congrats sa akin. (The president called, congratulating me.)”

This was declared in the supplemental affidavit, the fifth sworn statement, that Padilla submitted to the joint committee on September 4, and is in line with Tan’s testimony. 

The former Davao Prison and Penal Farm warden was granted an executive session with the quadcom that day.

Tan and Magdadaro had already named Duterte on August 22 when they shared in detail how they stabbed the three Chinese nationals to death. 

RELATED: Rodrigo Duterte ordered 2016 killings of alleged Chinese drug lords — witnesses

Padilla is not the only chief named in carrying out the killing of the alleged Chinese drug lords. 

On September 4, the former warden claimed that former retired police lieutenant colonel Royina Garma was the mastermind of the operation. However, Garma denied this to lawmakers at the public hearing on Thursday.

Padilla reiterated to lawmakers that he had received an order from Garma who called