President Rodrigo Duterte has kept mum after by a self-confessed Davao Death Squad member accused him of ordering the killing of some 1,000 suspected criminals and rivals while he was Davao City mayor. Duterte’s aides also dismissed the allegations.
According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Duterte has not responded to any of the allegations thrown at him and his family by Senate witness Edgar Matobato as of Friday, September 16.
Presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo said he did not see any reason accusations Matobato, whom he called a “perjured witness,” would warrant a reply from the president. He added that “the lies are so obvious” in Matobato’s testimonies.
“You know, when you watch proceedings that are obviously worthless, you would no longer comment. The people watching will reach a conclusion that this witness is a perjured witness so there is no reason to make a comment,” Panelo said.
He added that lawyers know not to pay attention to things with no value.
Asked by reporters if he had advised Duterte not to respond to Matobato’s accusations, Panelo said that there was no need to advise Duterte because “he’s such a smart, intelligent thinking lawyer President,” rendering his advice unnecessary in this case.
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Malacañang said that that Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II would release the official statement on the allegations against the president.
In his statement, Aguirre called Matobato’s allegations as “rich in falsity and fabrication,” adding that the Senate wasted resources by admitting Matobato as a witness.
Panelo also downplayed the effect of Matobato’s testimony, saying it was not threatening because they are lies. He added that whoever was behind Matobato would not succeed in ruining Duterte or his campaign against drugs and terrorism.
“No amount of black propaganda, no amount of sinister ploy or plan will stop the President from his relentless campaign against the drug menace and terrorism,” Panelo added.
He also pointed out how Matobato did not make the accusations against Duterte when he was already under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) for two to three years. He wondered why the witness only surfaced now.
“There is no same reason why you did not say all these when President Duterte was still mayor. You had no reason not to disclose these. You were under the Witness Protection Program, you were protected,” Panelo said.
He also pointed out that de Lima, who served as justice secretary when Matobato applied for witness protection, is Matobato’s handler.
Panelo also said that facts in Matobato’s testimony are jumbled, citing the witness’ referral to the PAOCTF during a year when it was already disbanded.
He said that it was the first time he had seen a “killer” witness who does not know his victims, adding: “So you cannot even sue him because there is no victim.”
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez branded Matobato as a “recycled witness” because he was first presented by de Lima as a witness when she served as CHR chair and justice secretary.
Matobato accused Duterte of ordering the killing of some 1,000 people, confessing that he killed 50 of these victims himself. He also accused the president of ordering to have journalist Jun Pala killed in 2007. He even pointed fingers towards the president’s son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, adding that he ordered the murder of Cebuano businessman Richard King.
After Senate President Koko Pimentel rejected the request to put Motabato under Senate protection, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV disclosed that ‘good Samaritans’ provided temporary sanctuary for the witness.
Sources: (newsinfo.inquirer.net, gmanetwork.com)
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