Trillanes to turn over Matobato to police on Friday

Edgar Matobato. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

With or without the warrant of arrest, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said he would turn over confessed assassin Edgar Matobato to the police on Friday morning.

After waiting at the Senate until 5:00 p.m. this Thursday, Trillanes said his office did not receive the arrest order issued by a Davao court against Matobato, who has been under the senator’s custody after testifying in the ongoing Senate probe on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country.

READ: Trillanes to surrender Matobato to PNP once warrant received

The senator said he would just surrender the witness to the Philippine National Police (PNP) at Camp Crame in Quezon City at 10:00 a.m. on Friday.

Trillanes said he already informed the office of PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa about his plan to surrender the witness.

“I was advised by the lawyers na antayin yung warrant bago i-turn over pero (to wait for the warrant before turning him over but) since for some reason hindi dumadating kaya ang decision na namin is alas-10 ng umaga bukas, itu-turn over ko si Mr. Matobato (it didn’t arrive, our decision is that I would turn over Matobato at 10 a.m. tomorrow) with or the warrant on hand,” he said in a press conference in the Senate.

“I’m just hoping by then, doon na lang magkakitaan kung sino man ang may hawak ng warrant (we would see who has the warrant),” said the senator.

Trillanes said the Davao court had issued the arrest order against Matobato for his failure to appear last Tuesday in the arraignment of his case in connection with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in 2014.

The senator said he took the initiative to surrender Matobato to avoid any untoward incidents and so that he would not also be accused of coddling and aiding  a fugitive. RAM/rga