‘Not possible,’ Palace on Duterte ordering mosque bombing

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar (right) says President Rodrigo Duterte ‘was not capable’ of ordering the bombing of a mosque in Davao City and the killing of Muslims as claimed by Edgar Matobato (left). Matobato, who confessed being a member of the Davao Death Squad or DDS, made the claims on Thursday before a Senate committee headed by Sen. Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILES

A Palace official on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte was not capable of ordering the bombing of a mosque in 1993 and the killing of Muslims.

“I don’t think he is capable of giving directive like that,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar told reporters in a news briefing.

READ: Duterte ordered us to bomb mosque, kill Muslims — ‘DDS’ member

During the resumption of the hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, witness Edgar Matobato, who claimed to be a former member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), said Duterte was behind the extrajudicial killings in Davao.

“Ang trabaho namin ay pumatay ng mga kriminal katulad ng drug pusher, rapist, snatcher. Ganyan ang pinapatay namin araw araw,” he said.

Matobato claimed that after the Davao Cathedral was bombed in 1993, Duterte ordered the bombing of a mosque and the killing of Muslim suspects.

The DDS has long been believed to be the group responsible for extrajudicial killings in Davao City.

Andanar said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) had failed to prove the existence of the DDS.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the Palace would have to await proper investigation on the alleged orders of Duterte.

“Whatever testimonies, whatever statements that the person is saying is his own statement and we have to await proper investigation regarding the matter,” Abella said./rga