LOOK: Matobato at CIDG after court orders arrest

Confessed hitman Edgar Matobato, the Senate witness who implicated 22 policemen as members of the so-called “Davao Death Squad,” underwent booking procedures at the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP CIDG) after an arrest warrant for illegal possession of firearms was issued against him on Wednesday.

READ: Matobato: I leave my fate to God

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who has been providing Matobato security after testifying before the Senate, turned over the witness to PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa at Camp Crame on Friday morning.

In a press briefing after Matobato’s processing at the CIDG office, Trillanes thanked Dela Rosa for assuring the safety of Matobato while he is under the protective custody of the police.

“Safety and security is a matter of perspective. But I respect General Dela Rosa. He has given me his word so I don’t have any reason to doubt that,” Trillanes said.

Dela Rosa, in turn, expressed gratitude to the Senator for the confidence he gave to the PNP.

“Siguruhin namin na safe ‘yung witness na tinurnover sa atin ni Senator Trillanes and I have given him my word na we will protect Edgar Matobato,” he said.

A regional trial court in Davao City issued an arrest warrant for Matobato in connection with an illegal possession of firearms case filed in 2014 when he was arrested for carrying a .45-caliber pistol without license.

This was the second time the court ordered Matobato arrested for the same case. Matobato posted P2,000 bail for his temporary liberty. But the court issued another warrant after he failed to show up at his arraignment.

Confident with ‘Bato’

Before facing the media, Dela Rosa, Trillanes and Matobato met behind closed doors at CIDG.

Dela Rosa shared a few details about the meeting, saying Matobato told him that he missed Dela Rosa, who previously held different positions at police offices in Davao City.

“Na-miss daw niya ako. Sabi lang niya, he is just airing his side. That’s normal… We are both from Davao. Sabi niya, he knows me pretty well. Alam niya na mabait daw akong tao. Sabi niya, ‘mabait ka na tao, sir, kaya kampante ako na sa iyo ako dinala ni Senator Trillanes,’” he recalled.

Dela Rosa said the CIDG will take custody of Matobato before they present him to the court of origin of the arrest warrant next week.

For security reasons, CIDG director Chief Supt. Roel Obusan declined to say where Matobato will stay for the weekend.

Dela Rosa joked: “Mamaya sabihin namin dito sa CIDG tapos maraming galit sa kanya dito mag-attack sa CIDG. So wala na, burn out na kami.”

But some members of the media saw a patrol car taking Matobato to the PNP’s Custodial Center, also inside Camp Crame.

READ: Court orders arrest of Matobato