MANILA, Philippines — Explosive testimonies from former inmates have linked former President Rodrigo Duterte to the 2016 killings of three Chinese nationals inside the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, according to witnesses who appeared before the House quad-committee on Thursday.

During the committee’s second public hearing, Leopoldo Tan Jr. and Fernando “Andy” Magdadaro, both former inmates, claimed that they were ordered to kill the three Chinese nationals—Chu Kin Tung (alias Tony Lim), Li Lan Yan (alias Jackson Li), and Wong Meng Pin (alias Wang Ming Ping)—just months after Duterte launched his administration’s notorious drug war.

Tan testified that in July 2016, he was approached by his high school classmate, SPO4 Arthur Narsolis, who facilitated the deal. Narsolis allegedly promised Tan his freedom in exchange for carrying out the killings, assuring him that the directive had “approval from the top” and hinting at a presidential intervention.

“He said, ‘I have a job for you, and it has approval from the top. We might be able to help you get released; we’ll talk to the president,’” Tan recounted, adding that the reward for the killings was P1 million per victim, referred to as “isang manok kada ulo” (one chicken per head).

Magdadaro corroborated Tan’s account, stating that he was drawn into the plot with similar promises of financial reward and eventual freedom. The two detailed how they executed the plan on the night of August 13, 2016, using a balisong (butterfly knife) and a pocket knife to repeatedly stab the three Chinese inmates inside their maximum-security cell.

“According to our agreement, we simultaneously stabbed Cho Kin Ting and Wong so they couldn’t fight back,” Tan said. “While I was stabbing Cho Kin Ting, Jackson Lee kicked me, so I immediately turned and stabbed him when Cho Kin Ting fell.”

After the killings, Tan claimed he overheard a phone conversation between then-facility Superintendent Gerardo Padilla and Duterte. “I heard the call, the person on the other line said: ‘Congrats, Superintendent Padilla, job well done. But what happened was bloody.’ I know that Superintendent Padilla was talking to President Duterte because his voice is familiar to me,” Tan testified.

Despite the gruesome act, Tan and Magdadaro never received the promised rewards. “We waited for that promise. Until the end of the administration, we were not released,” Tan lamented.

The two men are currently detained at the Service Support Company jail facilities at the Philippine Military Academy.

In light of these testimonies, the House quad-committee, which is investigating the connections between Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) and the illegal drug trade, has invited Duterte to its next inquiry. The motion was proposed by House Senior Deputy Speaker Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales and was met without objections.

Rep. Gerville Luistro (Batangas, 2nd District) emphasized during the hearing that the inmates’ testimonies could potentially lay the groundwork for a case of extrajudicial killing under Duterte, contingent on additional evidence proving the killings were part of a systematic attack on civilian populations.

“On the assumption that there is other evidence to establish the widespread systematic attack against civilian populations, we have a case for extrajudicial killing,” Luistro stated, calling the alleged actions “not only illegal, but also immoral.”