SENATOR Antonio Trillanes IV has said he will surrender Edgar Matobato, the confessed hitman of the Davao Death Squad to authorities once he receives the warrant of arrest issued against him by a Davao court.
Trillanes said he had been informally informed a warrant was issued against Matobato, in connection with an illegal possession of firearms case filed against him in 2014, for failing to attend his arraignment on Tuesday.
Matobato’s lawyer immediately prepared a motion for reconsideration filed Thursday, Trillanes added.
“We were hoping this motion will be considered by the judge to recall or put on hold the warrant. However, I was informed this was alrready given to the process server and the PNP,” said Trillanes, referring to the Philippine National Police.
Trillanes said: “I’m announcing it now I have him in my custody and security so the warrant can pass through me and I will give it to him so there’s no need to look for him…so that there will be no untoward incident.”
Matobato was taken into his custody after he testified in the ongoing investigation of the Senate committee on justice on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.
Matobato has accused President Rodrigo Duterte of ordering the killings of criminals and enemies when the latter was still mayor of Davao City, saying over 1000 suspected criminals and political opponents of the Dutertes were killed.
Trillanes gave assurances he would turn over Matobato to Director General Ronald Dela Rosa or his representative at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.
He also questioned the timing of the arrest order, saying it was “highly suspicious” because the case has been there for two years and the arraignment was scheduled on Tuesday when Matobato was in the Senate premises for the hearing.