THERE is no proof that President Rodrigo Duterte was involved in the Davao Death Squad as claimed by Edgar Matobato who will be charged with perjury and murder, said Senator Richard Gordon.
Asked if Duterte would be safe when the Senate committee on justice and human rights, which he chairs, and the committee on public order that Senator Panfilo Lacson heads, come out with their report, Gordon replied: “For the moment. That’s my report. There’s no proof.”
Gordon also said the joint committees failed to establish the existence of the so-called DDS, contrary to the testimony of Matobato. He said they will come out with the report within the week.
Matobato told the Senate panel that he was an original member and assassin of the DDS, which he said, started with only seven members, originally called the “Lambada Boys.”
He also testified that it was Duterte, then Davao City mayor, who gave them the order to kill suspected criminals and political opponents and personal enemies.
Matobato is out on bail over an illegal possession of firearms case filed against him before a Davao City court in 2014.
Gordon said the joint panel might recommend the filing of perjury—or even murder—charges against him, after he admitted to killing several people in the past.
Gordon said Matobato’s statements were inconsistent and could not be trusted, since he had been caught telling lies.
Gordon recognized that there might be cases of extrajudicial killings but he doubted these were state-sponsored. He said there were also a number of killings from 2010 to 2016 during the time of former President Benigno Aquino III.
Senator Leila de Lima said it was premature to come out with the report because the Commission on Human Rights witnesses have not yet been called to testify.
“Why not hear other CHR witnesses?” asked De Lima, who also described as premature any conclusions that the extrajudicial killings were not state-sponsored.