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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Malacañang won't stop nor support Matobato's future confessions

Malacañang won't stop nor support Matobato's future confessions

Published Jan 7, 2025 07:06 am

Malacañang will not stop self-confessed hitman Edgar Matobato from testifying against previous cases of extrajudicial killings in the country after he reportedly already left the country.

But Malacañang also said it will also not support Matobato if he decides to do so.

The government's pronouncement came after Matobato, who claimed to be a former member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) and has links with former president and Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte, reportedly fled the Philippines to seek refuge in another country.

Malacañang's comment came amid the ongoing investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the deadly war on drugs of the Duterte administration.

"If he intends to go to testify in another forum, that is also beyond our control, hindi namin siya ini-encourage, hindi rin namin siya dini-discourage (we're neither encouraging him nor discouraging him)," Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Bersamin made the remark following New York Times' report that Matobato already left the country using a fake identity.

Prior to this, Matobato had been in hiding for almost a decade, and only appeared before the public when he attended a Senate hearing and confessed to conducting and leading the killings by the DDS during the time of Duterte in Davao City.

Malacañang said it had no idea about Matobato's current whereabouts.

"Wala kaming masabi diyan, dahil (we cannot say anything about it because) we have no connection with Mr. Matobato," Bersamin said.

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Lucas Bersamin MALACANANG PALACE
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