FOUR more members of the so-called Davao Death Squad, allegedly formed by President Rodrigo Duterte when he was still mayor of Davao City, will surface fo corroborate the testimonies of Edgard Matobato and Arthur Lascañas, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Friday.
In their separate testimonies before the Senate public order committee chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson. Matobato and Lascañas had tagged Duterte as behind the vigilante-killings by the DDS.
Lacson said there was nothing new in Lascañas’ testimony and he no longer knew what constituted the truth in Lascañas testimony.
“We adjourned the hearing [because there was nothing new]; what else would he say?” Lacson said.
Lascañas said Duterte was known in the DDS as “Superman.”
Trillanes said his group was still thoroughly checking the supposed testimonies of the four DDS members to determine their sincerity and the veracity of their would-be statements.
“We also want to know if they are prepared for the dangers they would be facing in coming out in the open,” said Trillanes, adding there were new corroborating statements but they were still vetting and validating.
“Their testimonies will corroborate Lascañas and Matobato’s claims,” he added.
Matobato and Lascanas both claimed Duterte had ordered them and the other members of the DDS to execute suspected criminals, personal enemies and political opponents.
Lascanas even said Duterte paid them from P20,000 up to P100,000 for the kill job order, the amount depending on the status of the target.
But, he said, the President gave him a P1 million bonus for the killing of radio broadcaster Jun Pala, who had been attacking the former Davao mayor.
After making a turnaround when he recanted his testimonies last October, Lacson terminated the hearings on claims Duterte gave the orders for the DDS killings in Davao City.
Trillanes is currently providing sanctuary to Matobato and Lascanas for which he was threatened with charges by Solicitor General Jose Calida.
Malacañang has downplayed Lascañas and Matobato’s testimonies, saying the allegations against the President were “fabricated.”
Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate justice committee, earlier said that based on the hearings they conducted, the DDS did not exist.
