Two inmate witnesses testified during the second round of hearings by the Quad Committee, claiming that their anger over unfulfilled promises was the driving force behind their decision to reveal testimonies about the alleged killing of three Chinese drug personalities.
During yesterday’s Quad Committee hearing, inmates Fernando Andy Magdadaro and Leopoldo Untalan Tan Jr. stated that they carried out the killings with the assurance of receiving one million pesos and eventual release from prison. However, according to Magdadaro, only the one million pesos was delivered to his family, while the promise of freedom remains unfulfilled.
Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua pressed the witnesses on why they did not speak out when they were initially charged with homicide following the “successful” execution of the three Chinese nationals. Magdadaro explained that they did not expect to be charged and were holding onto the promise of their release.
The sworn affidavits of the two inmates also indicated that their anger towards the police officers, who allegedly ordered them to kill the three Chinese nationals, motivated them to come forward to the Quad Committee. The two testified that they repeatedly asked the officers, including Superintendent Gerardo Padilla, when they would be freed, but were always told to “just wait.”
The killings took place in 2016, and the victims were identified as Chu Kin Tung, also known as Tony Lim, Li Lan Yan, alias Jackson Li, and Wong Men Pin, alias Wang Ming Ping. The murders occurred during the height of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs.
When asked by Congressman Bienvenido Abante Jr. if they believed that the killings they were ordered to carry out were for the good of the country, the two inmates remained silent and simply bowed their heads.
Abante then rephrased his question, asking if they had only committed the murders because of the promised reward of one million pesos and the assurance of freedom.
The two witnesses had previously implicated former President Duterte and several police officials in the killings of the three Chinese nationals in 2016.