Senate Blue Ribbon Committee subpoenas retired cops, drug lord; Duterte attends

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee issued subpoenas to retired police officers Royina Garma, Edilberto Leonardo, and self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa on Monday.

During the hearing, Garma was on medical leave while Leonardo tested positive for COVID-19; both recently testified at the House of Representatives' quad committee hearing about a reward system that encouraged extrajudicial killings during Duterte's administration.

Former president Rodrigo R. Duterte also attended the hearing.

The panel noted that Bureau of Corrections Senior Supt. Gerardo Padilla did not acknowledge their invitation, while former PNP chiefs Oscar Albayalde, Guillermo Eleazar, Dionardo Carlos, and retired police generals Isidro Lapeña, Wilkins Villanueva promised to attend the next hearing.

Former customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban, currently under House custody, also failed to appear.