Former President Rodrigo Duterte allegedly ordered the killings of three Chinese nationals labeled as “drug lords” inside the Davao Prison and Penal Farm in 2016, according to testimonies from two former inmates during a House quad-committee hearing on Thursday.
The inmates, Leopoldo Tan Jr. and Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro, detailed how they were recruited by law enforcement officers, promised money and freedom, and ultimately carried out the fatal stabbings of the three Chinese nationals. Their testimonies linked Duterte to the incident, claiming that the former president congratulated prison officials after the executions.
Tan testified that he overheard a phone call between then-Superintendent Gerardo Padilla and Duterte, in which the former president allegedly praised the prison official for the killings. “Habang naglalakad kami… tumunog ang cellphone ni Superintendent Padilla. Narinig ko na ang tumawag, [sinabing]: ‘Congrats, Superintendent Padilla, job well done. Pero grabe yung ginawa, dinuguan.’ Alam ko na ang kausap ni Superintendent Padilla ay si President Duterte dahil pamilyar ang boses niya,” Tan said.
Following the inmates’ revelations, the House quad-committee decided to invite Duterte to its next hearing “in the spirit of fairness” to address these serious allegations.