Senate Blue Ribbon issues subpoenas to Garma, Espinosa over drug war probe

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee has issued subpoenas to retired police officials Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo, as well as alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, compelling them to appear before the panel's investigation into the drug war.

Garma and Leonardo recently testified at the House of Representatives that Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence Go established a reward system that encouraged extrajudicial killings during the drug war of the Duterte administration.

Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte attended the hearing.

Bureau of Corrections' Senior Supt. Gerardo Padilla did not acknowledge the panel's invitation, and former customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban, currently under the custody of the House of Representatives, also failed to show up.

Former Philippine National Police chiefs Oscar Albayalde, Guillermo Eleazar, Dionardo Carlos, as well as retired police generals Isidro Lapeña, and Wilkins Villanueva, promised to attend the next hearing.

Senator Koko Pimentel moved to issue the subpoena for individuals who failed to attend the hearing, even those with excuse letters, to avoid wasting time.