Duterte on Matobato: I don’t know him

President Rodrigo Duterte has said he does not personally know self-confessed hitman Edgar Matobato, who has accused him of being the mastermind behind the extrajudicial killings in Davao City during his term as city mayor.

“No,” said Duterte when asked if he personally knew Matobato in an ambush interview in Davao City shortly before midnight on Thursday.

“I don’t remember … when I was the mayor, the one providing the security, puro pulis (were the police),” he said.

He said his security detail was composed only of police or Army officials.

During a Senate inquiry, Matobato claimed that Duterte ordered him and other members of a death squad to kill criminals and opponents.

Matobato, who claimed to be a member of Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu), said he was a security aide of Duterte’s son and now Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte.

Duterte’s son has denied this claim.

The President earlier said “perjury is a crime,” apparently referring to Matobato’s testimonies at the Senate investigation.