Supposed “Davao Death Squad” member Edgar Matobato said that he kidnapped and killed four bodyguards of former House Speaker Prospero Nograles in 2010.
“Noong 2010, tumakbo po si Prospero Nograles na mayor ng Davao City. Naglaban sila ni Mayor Duterte so hinuli nila at pinakidnap ang mga bodyguard ni Nograles. Kinidnap namin at dinala sa island city of Samal,” Matobato revealed.
Nograles used to be President Rodrigo Duterte’s political rival in Davao City until Duterte’s bid for the presidential seat.
Matobato added that the killing was ordered by “Mayor Duterte.” Asked to clarify who he was referring to as “Mayor Duterte,” he said: “Ang ating mahal na Pangulo ngayon.”
In 2010, Nograles was up against President Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, as Davao City mayor candidates. Sara won while President Duterte became the city’s vice mayor.
According to Matobato’s testimony, he carried the bodyguards himself when they were kidnapped. They were later killed.
“Ako ang nagbuhat, isa-isa ko binuhat. Nilagay sa buhangin at binigti lahat. Pagkatapos, biniyak naming ‘yung tiyan tapos ako ang nagkarga ng bangka doon sa laot. Tinapon namin. Nilagyan ng hollow blocks, tig tatlo kada isang tao,” he said, as quoted by GMA News Online.
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Rivalry was not physical or violent, says Duterte’s former rival
Congressman Karlo Nograles of the First District of Davao City denied the killings of any of their bodyguards, adding that the rivalry between his family and the Dutertes did not become “physical or violent.”
“I don’t know what this guy is talking about. From the time I was chief-of-staff to the time I was elected as congressman, no supporter of ours or persons under our employ was ever killed due to politics,” he said in a Facebook post on Thursday afternoon.
“Political differences in our city has always been strictly on the level of difference in policy and style; it has never degraded into the level of physical or violent,” he added.
Nograles cited this non-violent competition as the reason why they did not struggle as much in putting their rivalry aside.
“That is why it is easy for us to set aside our differences and unite for the common good of Davao and the nation,” he said.
The congressman expressed his suspicion that Matobato was “being manipulated.”
“I can only suspect that this guy is being manipulated by some people to only serve their own selfish interests,” he added.
Sources: (gmanetwork.com, facebook.com)
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