Senior Police Officer 4 Sanson “Sonny” Buenaventura, the former security driver of former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte, denied all accusations of being the middleman between Duterte and the Davao Death Squad during the 10th committee hearing of the Quad Committee on November 7.
Buenaventura refuted the allegations made by former Police colonel Royina Garma, who claimed that he gave her money as a reward.
“Inakusahan niya [Garma] ako na nagbibigay ng reward money for EJK [extrajudicial killing] para ilihis lang yung imbestigasyon laban sa kanya. Upang maging mas kapani-paniwala, sinabi niya na siya ay nakatanggap ng tatlong beses mula sa akin na reward money para sa EJK,” Buenaventura said.
He also expressed agreement with Congressman Romeo Acop’s view regarding Garma seemingly removing her name from the list of individuals involved in the “Davao model” of the war on drugs.
“Your honor, Mr. Chair, sang-ayon po ako sa mga sinabi ni Honorable Congressman, Mr. Acop, sa matrix na ginawa ng Col. Garma, kung saan wala, wala, at hindi kasama ang pangalan niya sa lahat ng kinasasangkutan niyang issue,” he stated.
He strongly asserted that Garma fabricated everything to distance herself from the narrative surrounding the issue.
“Gawa-gawa lang niya ang lahat para makaiwas siya sa lahat ng mabibigat na issues laban sa kaniya at kinasa-sangkutan niya,” he added.
“Colonel Garma should not accuse anybody to save herself. She has to prove every accusation she makes with evidence. Hindi lang sa salita o sabi-sabi niya,” Buenaventura said.