Senator Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
Senator Panfilo Lacson said he is “open to reopen” the Senate investigation into extrajudicial killings (EJKs) if there is something or somebody to corroborate the testimony of confessed assassin Edgar Matobato.
Matobato, who claimed to be a former member of the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS), has accused President Rodrigo Duterte of ordering the killings of criminals and enemies when he was still mayor of Davao City.
But in the absence of any other witness or evidence to corroborate Matobato’s testimony, Lacson said he also saw no proof to link Duterte into the DDS.
The senator is chairman of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, the secondary panel that investigated the EJKs. The investigation was led by the committee on justice and human rights chaired by Senator Richard Gordon.
Asked about Gordon’s earlier statement that the investigation showed no proof against the President, Lacson said: “Well yun din ang nakita ko e (that’s what I see as well).”
“Kasi ang hinihintay ko e something or somebody who will corroborate Matobato’s testimony. As of now, wala kaming nakikitang magco-corroborate. Wala namang nag-corroborate e. E marami pa nga yung inconsistencies…” he said.
(I am waiting for something or somebody who will corroborate Matobato’s testimony. As for now, no one has corroborated it. No one has corroborated and the testimony is riddled with inconsistencies.)
READ: Senate panel set to clear Duterte on extrajudicial killings
Lacson also believed that the investigation by the joint panel was incomplete without the testimonies of the witnesses of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
“Actually during the last hearing, I was requesting chairman Gordon, why don’t we just allow them to present just to get over with. But you know, he was very passionate, caught in the moment sya e, meron syang issue kay Senator (Leila) de Lima (he had an issue with Senator Leila de Lima). Hindi ko na lang din ininsist baka mag three-cornered fight pa kami dun (I just didn’t insist to prevent a three-cornered fight),” he said.
Asked then if the hearings should have not been terminated, Lacson said: “Well ako open ako (I am open) to reopen. Sabi ko nga ang qualification ko lang, I need somebody or something that will corroborate or buttress yung tinestify ni Matobato (My only qualification is for something or somebody to corroborate or buttress Matobato’s testimony). Pero sa mga witnesses ni CHR, I still want to hear them (But I still want to hear from CHR’s witnesses).”
Lacson said there was also “no showing” during the Senate investiation that the EJKs were state-sponsored.
As to the alleged DDS, the senator said no evidence had been presented to prove its existence.
“Kung titingnan natin ang pinresentang ebidensya, wala eh. Puro ito ang media creation sa Davao na may DDS,” he said.
“Pero kung si Matobato lang nakapagpakita ng proof, sa dami-dami ng pinatay niya nakapagturo lang ng isa na ma-recover, maniniwala ako may DDS,” Lacson added.
(If we look at the evidence presented, there’s no [DDS]. It’s all media creation in Davao, that there is a DDS.
(But if Matobato had shown proof, for all the killings he had perpetrated, if he could show one that can be recovered, I would believe there’s a DDS.) CDG/rga