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By Prince Golez, Manila Reporter
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Wednesday, February 22, 2017
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MANILA – Sen. Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to immediately file perjury charges against retired SPO3 Arthur Lascañas, who admitted the existence of the “Davao Death Squad” (DDS) and accused the President of paying police to kill suspects.
“By admitting to lying under oath before the Senate justice committee during the October 2016 hearings on alleged extrajudicial killings, Lascañas has made a mockery of the solemn proceedings of the Senate,” the Valenzuela City senator said.
During last year’s Senate hearing, Lascañas denied his close ties with President Rodrigo Duterte and involvement in the vigilante group. He even called self-confessed hit man Edgar Matobato a “liar” for linking him to the DDS.
The former policeman, Gatchalian said, should be held accountable “for the grave disrespect he has shown to this institution.”
“Personally, I find it hard to believe the incredible alternative facts that Lascañas is now asserting. After all, he was singing a completely different tune just a few months ago. Taken all together, it is clear that there are serious doubts about his integrity and the credibility of his new testimony,” he added.
Lascañas was also challenged to “provide actual concrete evidence to link the President to extrajudicial killings.”
Senators Risa Hontiveros and Bam Aquino urged the Upper House to reopen the inquiry into summary killings so that Lascañas can divulge everything he knows about the DDS and the alleged involvement of the President.
“(His) revelations today are a direct stab at the credibility of President Rodrigo Duterte and undermine his moral capacity to lead. They strengthen suspicions that the death squads responsible for thousands of unsolved extrajudicial killings are state sanctions,” Hontiveros said.
While he believes that Lascañas’ “serious” allegations warrant further investigation, Aquino, however, reminded his colleagues to conduct such probe with impartiality and transparency.
Sen. Grace Poe, for her part, explained she refused to sign the Senate justice committee report on the extrajudicial killings because there was not enough information to make a conclusion, absolving Duterte of his involvement in the EJKs.
The resumption of the investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings would give Lascañas the opportunity to explain why he perjured himself, Poe said.
“Ako ay umaapela rin sa mga kasama ko, ayaw naman natin na basta lang tayo hearing ng hearing pero nandito tayo para malaman kung ano ba ‘yung katotohanan,” she ended./PN
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