A veteran policeman in the Philippines’ Davao city and leader of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), Arturo Lascañas, claimed at a press conference Monday that he had carried out extrajudicial killings on the orders of the then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who is now the country’s president. Lascañas also confirmed the existence of the DDS, contradicting his Senate testimony in October last year that the group was “nothing but media hype.” He further mentioned that the self-confessed hitman Edgar Matobato was lying about the DDS murders.
“I am satisfied that I’ve made a promise to God to make a public confession,” Lascañas said at the press conference, organized by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV at the Senate. Lascañas was presented by the members of the Free Legal Assistance Group for allegations that he had been involved in several murders in Davao on the orders of Duterte.
The Senior Police Officer 3, Lascañas, claimed that he had knowledge of the killing of radio broadcaster Jun Pala in 2003, the massacre of the entire Patasahan family in General Santos city, the bombing of a mosque in Davao and the murder of a suspected drug lord.
He also took responsibility of the killing of his two brothers.
“I was the instrument of death of two brothers – Cecilio and Fernando. I accept what happens to me. Due to excessive loyalty to his campaign, I did it,” he reportedly said.
Lascañas also talked about the murder of a religious leader, Jun Barsabal, in 1993.
Lascañas said that Duterte paid the DDS members after they had followed his orders. He claimed that the highest amount of reward he had received was 1.5 million Philippine pesos ($29,853) after the DDS killed Pala.
“There is no Davao Death Squad, your honor. That’s only media hype,” Lascañas had reportedly told Sen. Leila de Lima in his Senate testimony last year.
In Monday’s Senate hearing, Lascañas said that his confession could be backed by Matobato, who also testified during the same hearing.
In a Senate hearing in October last year, Matobato had described Lascañas as Duterte’s “right-hand man,” and said that he himself was Lascañas’ closest aide and was involved with several murders.
“Arturo Lascañas is like a general. He can even give orders to a colonel. He is the most powerful cop in Davao City,” Matobato had reportedly said then.
Matobato had also mentioned that the DDS was led by cops and not civil vigilantes and still continues to operate in Davao.
“Our job was to kill criminals such as drug traffickers, rapist, Snatcher. So we killed the day,” he had reportedly said.
Lascañas had put into effect an affidavit and said he was ready to testify before any government agency, including the Senate, reports said.
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