Sanson "Sonny" Buenaventura (Screenshot from Facebook livestream)

House Assistant Majority Leader Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mika Suansing has expressed doubts on the credibility of quad-committee (quad-comm) witness Sanson "Sonny" Buenaventura, mainly due to his evasiveness.

The quad-comm in the House of Representatives recently held its 10th marathon hearing, with Buenaventura--a former driver-bodyguard of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte’s for over 20 years--serving as one of the witnesses. 

The hearing further delved into the intricacies of the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs, even as the ex-president himself has refused to show up.

While Buenaventura was present, the evasiveness of his answers to solons' questions raised a red flag for Suansing.

“Mr. Chair, mas nakikita ko po na nagsisinungaling si Mr. Sonny Buenaventura (I'm more convinced that Mr. Sonny Buenaventura is lying),” the congresswoman said.

Buenaventura’s use of coded terms allegedly tied to the Davao Death Squad (DDS)--a group that Duterte himself has confirmed the existence of--was a key focus of Suansing’s questioning. 

DDS lingo

During the hearing, Buenaventura confirmed the long-rumored codename “Superman” of Duterte, by which he was known among members of the notorious DDS. 

Suansing asked him to explain the meaning of "labyog" a term that sources indicated could refer to killing or disposing of a body. 

“Ayon po sa aming sources, ang labyog po ay to kill or dump a dead body ng isang biktima (According to our sources, labyog means to kill or dump a deas body of a vicitm),” Suansing said, as she asked Buenaventura to clarify its meaning. 

The retired Davao policeman responded rathe hesitantly, and merely gestured that the word might mean “tapon,” or to discard. This did not satisfy lawmakers.

The quad-comm also scrutinized Buenaventura’s familiarity with the Laud quarry, a site tied to numerous DDS-related allegations. When asked if he had been there, Buenaventura said yes but claimed to using the site as a firing range. 

But what stood out to Suansing was the witness' familiarity with the site; after all, the latter knew what was inside of it.

“For the record, Mr. Buenaventura has been to Laud quarry… alam niya ang itsura at laki ng Laud quarry na may laman na firing range sa loob (he knows the appearance and size of the Laud quarry, whiich has a firing range inside),” Suansing said.

The lady solon also tested Buenaventura’s financial transparency and urged him to waive his bank secrecy rights if he had nothing to hide. 

But Buenaventura was evasive once again, and claimed he "only had P4,000" in his bank account.

Buenaventura’s alleged role in DDS operations, as described in the affidavit of self-confessed DDS hitman Arturo Lascañas, was another focal point. Suansing cited these claims, which depicted Buenaventura as allegedly actively involved in coordinating DDS logistics. 

“Mr. Chair, it’s the word of Mr. Sonny Buenaventura against the affidavit of Mr. Lascañas,” she  pointed out.

Loyal to Digong

And then there's Buenaventura’s self-professed loyalty to the Davao City mayor turned-chief executive. 

Earlier in the hearing, Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro asked the witness, “Mr. Buenaventura, would you say that your loyalty to Mayor Duterte is absolute?”

Buenaventura beamed with pride as he answered, “Yes, Your Honor."

"Naging mabait po siya sa akin at sa pamilya ko. Kung may problema, andiyan po siya para tumulong,” he said of the 79-year-old Duterte.

(He was kind to me and my family. If there was a problem, he was there to help.)