Retired Police General Guillermo Eleazar, former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), stated that he did not receive any directive regarding a reward system linked to anti-drug operations during his tenure. Eleazar emphasized that he only received guidance from then-President Rodrigo Duterte to act within the bounds of the law. He noted that he had no discussions with Duterte beyond his oath-taking as PNP chief.
Eleazar, who led the PNP from May to November 2021, focused on COVID-19 protocols and transparency measures, such as deploying body cameras in police operations. He also mentioned forwarding questionable anti-drug operation reports to the Department of Justice.
This statement follows recent claims by ex-police officer Royina Garma about a supposed reward system for targeting drug suspects. Current PNP chief Rommel Marbil has called on former PNP leaders to clarify their roles in the drug war, as Garma alleged a P1 million reward for such killings.
Other former PNP chiefs, including Senator Ronald dela Rosa, denied knowledge of any reward system, with dela Rosa clarifying that he did not implement such a system during his time due to a lack of funds.