Retired police officer Arturo Lascañas. Screenshot from online press conference via Zoom.
MANILA, Philippines — Retired police officer Arturo Lascañas, a self-confessed member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), has already given his testimony before investigators from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC has been conducting investigations on the string of killings surrounding “Oplan Tokhang” or the government’s war on drugs.
“Nagconduct sila ng pre-trial investigation sa akin dito noong February 2022; six days pre-trial investigation,” Lascañas told reporters in a hastily called press briefing via Zoom. He did not disclose where the interview was conducted.
(They conducted a pre-trial investigation on me here in February 2022; six days for the pre-trial investigation.)
Lascañas has tagged former President Rodrigo Duterte as the one behind the DDS. He also identified several personalities behind the bloody anti-drug campaign of the previous administration.
READ: ICC drug war probers in PH: Just a ‘matter of time’
Lascañas said he was interviewed by representatives from the ICC prosecutor, as well as a lawyer representing Duterte.
He said a Filipino lawyer was tapped to represent the former President which he said was a must, based on the words of the ICC prosecutor representatives.
“Pinapirma nila ako ng mga sinubmit ko at naka-audio at naka-video ito,” Lascañas said.
(They made me sign what I submitted, and it (the interview) was recorded in both audio and video.)
Aside from his testimony, Lascañas said he submitted a notebook of handwritten testimony, which he labeled “From Darkness to Light.” He also submitted a 186-page affidavit, graphs regarding the Anti-Heinous Crime Task Force, as well as vehicle registration of vehicles used during the DDS operations.
When asked why he opted to come out and speak, he said: “Dahil sa matinding konsiyensya at ito ay personal kong desisyon, hoping na mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga pinagpapatay sa Davao City at sa buong bansa.”
(Because of a strong conscience and this is my personal decision, hoping that justice will be served for those who have been killed in Davao City and throughout the country.)