Duterte ordered killing of drug inmates, hitmen claim

MANILA, Philippines —  Two inmates from the Davao penitentiary have come forward and tagged former president Rodrigo Duterte as the mastermind who indirectly ordered them to kill three Chinese drug lords inside the penal colony in August 2016.

Convicted drug dealer Leopoldo Tan Jr. confessed that he, along with fellow inmate Fernando Magdadaro, made good on their deal with Supt. Gerardo Padilla and stabbed Chinese drug lords Chu Kin Tung also known as Tony Lim, Li Lan Yan aka Jackson Li and Wong Meng Pin aka Wang Ming Ping.

Tan stated in his sworn affidavit that as soon as they killed the trio, they were called to the investigation section of the penal colony.

There, Padilla received a call on his cellular phone. Tan claimed he had an inkling it was Duterte on the other end of the line.

“I heard Padilla’s caller saying: ‘Congrats Superintendent Padilla! Job well done. But the job was grim, it was like a blood stew.’ I know that Padilla was talking with president Duterte because I am familiar with his voice,” Tan said in Filipino.

Appearing before the quad committee of the House of Representatives that is investigating extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s administration until June 2022, the duo admitted they were given P1 million each for the job, but complained that they were never granted the freedom promised to them.

Magdadaro and Tan, who gave their testimonies under oath, categorically stated that they issued their affidavits out of frustration and motivated by their wish to be released from prison, as promised by Tan’s high school classmate and alleged broker for the hit job, SPO4 Arthur Narsolis, among others.

Tan recalled that Narsolis visited him when the senior police officer was still assigned at the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detective Ggroup-11 in Davao City and his superiors were Col. Edilberto Leonardo, regional CIDG-11 chief, and Lt. Col. Royina Garma.

“I know Lt. Col. Royina Garma who has a relationship with Art,” Tan stated in his affidavit.

Tan quoted his policeman-friend telling him: “I have a job for you and this has the go signal from higher authorities. Maybe we could also help secure your freedom, we will talk