De Lima: Ex-member of Davao Death Squad in NBI custody

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has in its custody a former member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Monday.

She said the former DDS member has been accepted into the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).

The DDS is a vigilante group active in Davao City that was tagged responsible for the summary executions of some 1,020 to 1,040 people between 1998 to 2008.

“Nag-execute na sya ng affidavit [but] I cannot disclose  to you the contents of the affidavit but the witness’ allegations are very serious,” De Lima hinted.

Earlier, De Lima said the witness’ testimony is the basis of the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) case buildup on the group.

“The NBI is already doing a case buildup on the Davao Death Squad on the basis of what was disclosed by this witness,” De Lima told reporters.

De Lima said the case buildup on the DDS started almost simultaneously when the NBI filed with the DOJ multiple murder and frustrated murder charges against former Tagum City Mayor Rey “Chiong” Uy and 29 others, including retired and current police officers, former local officials and alleged hitmen.

The charges were filed in connection with 82 extrajudicial killings and two murder attempts in Tagum City, the town of Dujali in Davao del Norte, Maco and Wahab in Compostela Valley and Butuan City. AU