Matobato lawyer to present new witness vs Duterte
The lawyer of confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) member Edgar Matobato on Friday said he will soon present a witness who can prove that President Rodrigo Duterte committed murder in 2012.
Atty. Jude Sabio, in a phone interview, said he will submit the unnamed witness’ affidavit to the Office of the Ombudsman to support Matobato’s complaint.
Sabio on Friday morning filed a criminal and administrative complaint, in behalf of Matobato, against Duterte and 27 others.
Matobato is accusing Duterte, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, Philippine National Police (PNP) head Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and several police officers of committing murder, kidnapping and torture. He also claimed that the President violated Republic Act. 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes against Humanity.
READ: Matobato asks Ombudsman to probe Duterte over DDS links
“May ipe-present kaming isa pang testigo na susuporta sa testimony (ni Matobato). Personal nakakita na si Pangulong Duterte mismo ang…bumaril sa isang di kilalang tao sa Davao,” Sabio told INQUIRER.net
(We will present a new witness who will support the testimony of Matobato. He personally saw President Duterte shoot an unidentified man in Davao.)
Sabio said the witness heard Duterte, who was then mayor of Davao City, called the person a “traitor” before shooting him. His accomplices later arrived and told Duterte that he killed the wrong man.
“Mali pala, dapat yung kapatid. Anong ginawa ni Mayor? Tumawa lang (He was wrong. It was supposed to be the brother. What did the Mayor do? He just laughed),” the lawyer said.
Sabio said that while they are aware that Duterte has the privilege of being immune from suit, they are challenging the applicability of the jurisprudence on presidential immunity.
“It’s high time na dapat siguro pag-aralan yan gaya ni Senator [Leila] de Lima na china-challenge nya ang immunity. Dapat matignan ng Korte Supreme yan,” he said.
(It’s high time that we revisit that, like Senator De Lima who is challenging the immunity. The Supreme Court should look into it.)
Last month, De Lima filed a test case against Duterte for psychological violence prohibited under Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women.
READ: De Lima files test case vs Duterte’s immunity from suit
“Paano kung ang presidente natin ay isang serial killer, mass murderer, psychopath? Pwede ba yun? Kahit isang tao lang ang pinatay di ka dapat maging pangulo,” Sabio said.
(What if our President is a serial killer, a mass murderer, a psychopath? Is that allowed? Even if you kill just one person you do not deserve to be president.)
He said that the constitution guarantees the right to life and by killing someone, you are violating the Constitution.
“We have to re-examine this doctrine of principle of presidential immunity…they want the president to concentrate in his job. Paano nga pag ganyan ang pangulo natin (What happens if our president is like that)?” he said, adding that Duterte himself has stated in the past that he is the Davao Death Squad and that he is willing to kill people. CDG/rga
