A very explosive and hair-raising development.
This was how Sen. Leila de Lima described the claims of confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) leader and retired Davao policeman SPO3 Arturo Lascañas at the Senate on Monday.
De Lima, who presented confessed DDS member Edgar Matobato in a Senate probe last year, said another investigation should be conducted on the killings perpetrated by the infamous vigilante group DDS supposedly under the orders of then mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
“Noong lumabas po si Lascañas ay talaga naming nagulat kami. It’s such a hair-raising thing. Hindi ko po inasahan na lumantad na rin si Lascañas. This is definitely very explosive. Talaga hong dapat magkaroon talaga, magresume ng imbestigasyon dito, kung ano mang committee ang pupwede,” De Lima told reporters in an ambush interview.
(When Lascañas came out, we were all surprised. I didn’t expect him to expose this. The investigation on this should resume.)
“Basta dapat totohanan po ang maging imbestigasyon dito. Hindi po ito kailangan maging ipagbalewala na naman. On its face, corroborative ang mga sinabi ni Lascañas. Mas marami pa siyang dapat isiwalat kasi mas marami siyang alam kay Mr. Edgar Matobato, kasi isa nga po siya sa mga leader,” she added.
(The investigation on this should be intensive. This shouldn’t be taken lightly again. On its face, what Lascañas is saying is corroborative. He can disclose more because he knows more than Mr. Edgar Matobato, since he is one of the leaders.)
Senator Leila De Lima answers questions from reporters during an ambush interview before the start of the Senate session on Monday, February 20, 2017. INQUIRER PHOTO/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
Retracting his earlier testimony at the Senate, Lascañas resurfaced on Monday and said the DDS was real. Lascañas said Duterte ordered killings in Davao City when he was still mayor, including the death of journalist Jun Pala and the bombing of a Muslim mosque.
READ: Davao cop says Duterte ordered killings, DDS real
The retired Davao City police officer also admitted being instrumental in the killing of his own brothers, who were supposedly involved in illegal drugs, due to his “too much loyalty” to Duterte’s campaign.
READ: Confessed DDS leader admits hand in killing of own brothers
De Lima said Lascañas’ confession proved that testimonies earlier made by Matobato were indeed true.
“Tama si Matobato, as I’ve been saying. Totoo ang mga sinabi ni Mr. Matobato. Nilait-lait nila, kwinestiyon nila ang credibility, ako rin, nilalait-lait nila ako for producing Mr. Matobato. And here comes this very explosive development from Mr. Lascañas,” she said.
(Matobato was right, as I’ve been saying. What he said was true. They ridiculed and questioned my credibility and for producing Mr. Matobato. And here comes this very explosive development from Mr. Lascañas.)
“Mukhang pareho rin ‘yung rason niya kung bakit lumantad na siya, na kailangan niya nang magbigay ng public confession kasi nga ‘yung konsiyensya niya sa dami niyang alam, it’s time to make amends. Hindi na kaya ng konsyensya,” De Lima added.
(It seems that their reason for exposing this is the same, that they needed to give a public confession because of their conscience, it’s time to make amends. Their conscience couldn’t handle it.)
The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), together with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, presented Lascañas to the media on Monday morning. The lawyers said Lascañas is set to elaborate his confession through a testimony under oath.
De Lima said she had to cancel her scheduled press conference this morning about the drug-related charges against her to give way to Trillanes.
“Kahapon po noong nalaman ko, may nagforward sa akin about a certain media advisory, na meron nga daw pong presscon si Sen Trillanes. Pinasabihan ko nga ho, pakisabi nga sa opisina ni Sen. Trillanes bakit ganun meron din siyang presscon when we were supposed to have one also. Sabi ko baka pwede mag-give way sila sa akin because I will be talking about my cases especially mara-raffle na yung mga kasi kaninang ala-una,” she said.
(I knew about this yesterday, I was forwarded a certain media advisory, that Sen Trillanes will have a presscon. I asked his office why he was having a presscon when we were supposed to have one also. I said maybe they could give way to me because I will be talking about my cases especially since they were to be raffled off at 1 p.m.)
“I was even very curious last night ano kaya ‘yung something big. And hindi ko talaga inasahan ‘yun (I didn’t expect this). It was really such a hair-raising thing,” the senator added. JE/rga