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[av_heading heading=’‘Glaring inconsistencies in Matobato testimonies’’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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MANILA – Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, while questioning Edgar Matobato, pointed out the alleged inconsistencies between the witness’ Senate testimony and his affidavit against President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Just an observation, the witness tends to change his testimony. There is no affidavit, there is an affidavit… The witness [also] has a tendency to point to President Duterte. But upon questioning, [it would turn out these are just] assumptions,” Cayetano stated.
At the resumption of the Senate probe on drug-related killings, Matobato, who claimed to be a hitman and member of the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS), said Duterte had no hand in the kidnapping and murder of suspected terrorist Sali Makdum.
“Walang kinalaman si mayor,” Matobato said upon the questioning of Cayetano.
However, an affidavit executed by Matobato in 2015, as read by Cayetano, showed that he identified Makdum as one of the important targets that he killed.
“He [Makdum] was ordered liquidated by Rodrigo Duterte through Arthur Lascañas because he was a suspected terrorist,” Cayetano said quoting Matobato in the affidavit.
According to an official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) at the inquiry, the affidavit was executed without a legal counsel.
Cayetano then asked Matobato again, to which the witness replied: “Si Lascañas sila ang nag-uusap…Order ni mayor Duterte, si Arthur Lascañas, pero order ni Mayor Duterte, sir.”
Matobato insisted he was telling the truth, saying: “Ang salaysay ko, sa katagalan, minsan nakakalimutan ko, sir.”
Cayetano also questioned Matobato’s account on the murder of a NBI agent, whom he identified only as “Amisola.” In his previous testimony, Matobato said the victim was apprehended by a certain Major Pabo after the former’s vehicle was blocking their way during an operation in Barangay Matina.
Matobato claimed that a gunfight ensued between Amisola and Pabo’s team consisting of around thirty people, but it allegedly took them a long time to kill Amisola that Duterte had to “finish him off” using two Uzi magazines.
“Hindi talaga ako makatulog sa litrato na trenta ang papatay doon sa NBI agent… Sabay-sabay binabaril… Hihintayin niyo si Mayor na ubusin yung dalawang Uzi [magazines] para mapatay? Trenta kayo, isa lang ang papatayin niyo?” Cayetano asked.
Matobato in response said they had a hard time shooting Amisola since he was hiding under a pickup truck and was also shooting back at them. He also changed his previous statement that around thirty people were involved in the shootout.
“The inconsistencies [in Matobato’s statements] are just glaring. I will just let the people and this Committee decide for themselves,” the senator concluded
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who secured the safety of Matobato before he was presented as witness in the Senate inquiry, said Matobato never claimed that Duterte ordered Matobato killed.
“If you read the transcript (from the last hearing), walang sinabi si Mr. Matobato na si President Duterte ang nag-pautos na pumatay kay Makdum. Meron siya sinabing specific cases na nakita at narinig niya pero not this one,” Trillanes said. (GMA News)
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