Former president Rodrigo Duterte (left), Superman's chest (Facebook, SupermanWiki)

Ex-president Rodrigo Duterte is "Superman", his former long-time driver-bodyguard Sanson "Sonny" Buenaventura told the House quad-committee (quad-comm) during its marathon hearing on late Friday night, Nov. 8. 

But Buenaventura wasn't likening Duterte to a superhero; instead, he might have unwittingly implicated his former boss deeper into the extrajudicial killing (EJK) issue. 

This is because "Superman" is the long-rumored radio "call sign" or codename of Duterte’s among members of the notorious vigilante group, Davao Death Squad or DDS. 

“Mr. Buenaventura, sino po si Superman? Hindi niyo rin po ba alam? (Who is Superman? You also don't know?)” Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro asked during her interpellation of the quad-comm witness. 

“Iyon ang call sign ni Mayor Duterte noong may radio pa kami (That's Mayor Duterte's call sign when we still had radios),” replied Buenaventura, who was Duterte's driver-bodyguard between 1988 and 2008. 

Luistro said, “At least you confirm that Superman is Mayor Duterte. Yes, he is actually called Superman by DDS.” 

Buenaventura, a retired police officer, ultimately acknowledged that Duterte was known by this codename within certain circles in Davao City. 

Before being elected as president in 2016, Duterte served as multi-term Mayor of Davao. 

Buenaventura's remarks came just days after the former chief executive confirmed in a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing the existence of the DDS. 

The quad-comm witness' confirmation aligns with prior statements and testimonies from various figures, including former DDS members and police officers, who have identified Duterte as central to the death squad’s operations.  

Although acknowledging that “Superman” and Duterte were one and the same, Buenaventura insisted he was unaware of any formal organization called the DDS. He claimed that the name DDS only originated from media reports. 

“Did you watch the Senate investigation where the President appeared? And did you watch him confirm that there is the DD?” Luisto asked Buenaventura. 

Buenaventura was evasive, and merely replied, “Siya po ang maysabi (That's what he said)," referring to Duterte. 

Luistro asked whether Buenaventura’s loyalty might extend to protecting Duterte’s reputation. “So if there were orders that would have gone beyond your regular duties, would you have questioned them, or was your loyalty to him unquestionable?” she asked. 

Buenaventura reply was rather defensive. 

“Your honor, bilang driver at security ni Mayor Duterte, ang trabaho ko ay alagaan siya at sundin ang mga utos niya bilang public servant. Pero hindi po totoo na ako ay nasangkot sa kahit anong labas sa trabaho ko,” he said. 

(Your honor, as the driver and security of Mayor Duterte, my job was to take care of him and follow his orders as a public servant. But it's not true that I was involved in something that was outside of my job.)