House cites Napolcom exec in contempt over alleged drug war testimony

House lawmakers cited National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo in contempt and ordered his detention for allegedly lying during a hearing on drug war deaths and the killing of a PCSO official.

Leonardo will be detained at the Batasang Pambansa Complex until the joint committee finishes its report.

He was cited for contempt after repeatedly denying a meeting that supposedly occurred before the killing of three Chinese drug convicts in August 2016.

At least two individuals, including former Davao Prison and Penal Farm chief Gerardo Padilla, confirmed the meeting took place at the Davao City Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) office.

Padilla had previously testified that Garma and Leonardo informed him about the planned killing of the three convicts during the CIDG meeting.

This is the first time Leonardo has been cited in contempt during the ongoing inquiry into extrajudicial killings, the former president's drug war, Chinese syndicates, and Philippine offshore gaming operators.