Speaker Davao Del Norte Rep. Pantaleon 鈥淏ebot鈥� Alvarez and Senator Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Davao Del Norte representative and a close friend of President Rodrigo Duterte,聽on Thursday聽said Senator Leila De Lima should be in for a surprise in next week鈥檚 House of Representatives probe into the alleged drug links of the former justice secretary.
Alvarez made the statement after De Lima presented during a Senate inquiry confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) hit man Edgar Matobato, who accused Duterte of ordering the killings of critics and rivals in Davao City when he was mayor.
鈥淵ou will be surprised next week because there will be new witnesses who will surface and testify against people involved in the proliferation of illegal drugs at the NBP (New聽Bilibid Prison),鈥� Alvarez said in an ambush interview in Dumaguete City, a copy of which was provided by his office.
Alvarez said the Senate hearing on the extrajudicial killings at the height of the administration鈥檚 war on drugs may be part of De Lima鈥檚 plan to divert the public鈥檚 attention from the House of Representatives鈥� inquiry in aid of legislation scheduled for next week on the NBP drug trade that implicated De Lima when she was justice secretary.
De Lima has turned down the invitation to attend the House probe.
搁贰础顿:听Duterte House allies turn tables on De Lima, eye probe聽触听De Lima won鈥檛 attend House probe on drugs in Bilibid聽
Alvarez called Matobato a 鈥渞ecycled witness鈥� presented by De Lima to divert public interest from the House Bilibid probe.
鈥淲ala nang bago dyan (There is nothing new there). I think he is a recycled witness,鈥� Alvarez said.
Alvarez said he also came from Davao but has never heard of Matobato as a hit man belonging to the vigilante group DDS allegedly used by Duterte to kill his critics and rivals during his stint as Davao City mayor.
搁贰础顿:听SUMMARY: Allegations of 鈥楧DS鈥� member in Senate hearing
He said the only DDS group in existence is Die-hard Duterte Supporter, of which Alvarez admits being a member.
鈥淎ko taga-Davao ako at wala naman akong alam na Davao Death Squad (DDS). Die-hard Duterte Supporter, DDS, walang Davao Death Squad. Ako miyembro ako ng DDS (I鈥檓 from Davao and I鈥檓 not aware of Davao Death Squad (DDS). I only know about Die-hard Duterte Supporter, DDS, but there鈥檚 no Davao Death Squad. I鈥檓 a member of DDS.),鈥� Alvarez said.
Alvarez said De Lima investigated Duterte鈥檚 links to the DDS but did not even file a case in court.
Alvarez said the House probe on the Bilibid drug trade does not intend to usurp the role of the judiciary to investigate the drug allegations, but only intended to make an inquiry in aid of legislation.
鈥淲e are not prepared to usurp the functions of the judiciary. We are investigating the causes of the proliferation of illegal drugs at the National Bilibid Prison during her time as justice secretary. And this is done in aid of legislation, so we can determine how we can amend the law to address this problem,鈥� Alvarez said.
Alvarez flew to Dumaguete City聽on Wednesday聽to swear in 500 new members of the new ruling party Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) at the Negros Oriental Convention Center.
Duterte himself released a drug matrix linking De Lima to drugs when she was justice secretary. De Lima, a member of the erstwhile ruling Liberal Party, has vehemently denied the allegation, calling the drug matrix rubbish. RAM/rga
搁贰础顿:听Duterte matrix out; tags De Lima, ex-Pangasinan gov, others聽触听De Lima calls matrix linking her to drugs trade 鈥榬ubbish鈥�