Frustrated murder suit filed vs Matobato for 2014 ambush

Edgar Matobato. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

DIGOS CITY – Senator Leila de Lima’s witness in  reported extrajudicial killings in Davao City was sued Friday for frustrated murder in connection with a 2014 ambush that wounded an agrarian reform adjudicator here.

Abeto Salcedo Jr., a retired adjudicator of the Department of Agrarian Reform in Southern Mindanao, was accompanied by a lawyer when he filed a frustrated murder complaint against Edgar Matobato at the city prosecutors office here.

Salcedo said last week that he instantly recognized Matobato when he saw him on TV as the man who shot him several times as he was emerging from the DAR provincial office here on October 24, 2014.

“I could not be mistaken,” he said, adding that only his car’s window glass separated him from the gunman.

Three bullets fired by the suspect remained lodged inside Salcedo’s body to this day.

Matobato, who has admitted  being a “gun-for-hire,” said on Thursday upon questioning by Senator Tito Sotto that he had no involvement in the Salcedo slay try, saying he was under the Witness Protection Program at that time.

Asst. City Prosecutor Jehrameel Libre, who received Salcedo’s complaint, said they have 60 days to decide whether or not to pursue the case in court. CDG/rga

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