A CIDG source sent to 黑料社 photos of confessed killed Edgar Matobato undergoing booking procedures at Camp Crame. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV later presented him to PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald 鈥淏ato鈥� Dela Rosa. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS
Accompanied by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, erstwhile Senate witness on extrajudicial killings Edgar Matobato surrendered to the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City yesterday.
Matobato, who earlier admitted being part of the Davao Death Squad and even linked President Rodrigo Duterte to the vigilante group, was ordered arrested by a court in Davao City for failing to attend last Tuesday the arraignment of the illegal firearms possession case filed against him two years ago.
Trillanes and Matobato arrived at Camp Crame at around 9 a.m. Matobato was brought to the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region office for the booking process about 30 minutes later. He was read his rights and handcuffed.
鈥淚鈥檓 giving my life to God; whatever happens to me, I鈥檒l accept,鈥� he told reporters in a brief interview upon his arrival.
PNP chief Director-General Ronald dela Rosa said Matobato will be brought to the court in compliance with the judge鈥檚 order. Dela Rosa also guaranteed Matobato鈥檚 safety while in detention and in the trip to Davao.
Asked about concerns that Matobato will not be safe in Davao since he tagged several former and current policemen as vigilantes, Dela Rosa replied, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 their opinion. For me, it鈥檚 safer in Davao. I鈥檓 from there. We can manage the situation there, I know the place very well, so he鈥檒l be safe there.鈥�
He added that Matabato will be given a bullet proof vest and even a helmet if only to assuage concerns about his safety.
鈥淚鈥檓 giving the assurance that if he鈥檒l be killed, it will be over the dead bodies of our CIDG personnel assigned to him. That鈥檚 my word. We鈥檒l give him a bullet-proof vest to wear, even a helmet, bullet-proof goggles and mask. We can armorize his whole body鈥f you want, we can even make him wear a bomb suit so that even if the vehicle explodes, he鈥檒l remain safe. There won鈥檛 be a scratch on him; we鈥檒l do everything to keep him safe,鈥� he said.
Dela Rosa said that for security reasons, Matobato鈥檚 detention place at Camp Crame will not be divulged, adding that Matobato might stay at Camp Crame over the weekend before being brought to Davao.
Asked what Matobato told him during their conversation, Dela Rosa aired some sentiments about the case.
鈥淲e鈥檙e both from Davao. He knows me pretty well, so he felt calm. He told me in Visayan, 鈥業 am happy because I have seen you [here]. I鈥檓 no longer worried now that you鈥檙e here,鈥欌�� Dela Rosa recounted.
Trillanes, for his part, said he sees no reason to doubt Dela Rosa鈥檚 assurance of Matobato鈥檚 safety.
鈥淚 respect [Dela Rosa鈥檚 opinion]; he has given me his word. I don鈥檛 have any reason to doubt it,鈥� Trillanes said.
The senator said he would also continue providing protective custody to Matobato after he posts bail.
鈥淲e will get him again [after he posts bail]. I鈥檒l continue to provide him protective custody. We won鈥檛 abandon him,鈥� he said.
Matobato underwent a medical checkup for an old wound that has become infected, which he claimed came from torture. He was also found to have a high blood pressure.
In a separate interview with reporters, Trillanes called the timing of the issuance of the arrest warrant 鈥渉ighly suspicious.鈥�
鈥淲hat we see here is that this is the part of the persecution鈥f you are a critic of the President, this is what will happen to you,鈥� Trillanes said.
The senator said Matabato was determined to face the case against him.
鈥淗e (Matobato) said his surrender here shows that he is not fleeing. Of course, in times like this, there is some anxiety, he doesn鈥檛 know what will happen to him. But it鈥檚 good that he was given PNP鈥檚 assurance [of safety],鈥� he added.
鈥淚鈥檓 holding to the word of the PNP to take care of Matobato, just like [what they鈥檙e doing] to all their detainees under their custody,鈥� he added.
The senator said legal options were being studied by lawyers helping Matabato so that he won鈥檛 have to go to Davao to post bail for the arrest warrant. A motion for reconsideration for the new arrest warrant will also be filed, he said.
Trillanes said a pleading will also be prepared for the transfer of the venue of the case hearings out of Davao, preferably Manila, adding that sending Matabato to Davao was 鈥渓ike throwing him into the lion鈥檚 den鈥� as the city is the turf of Duterte.
He said he hopes the judge would 鈥渄o the right thing.鈥�
The arrest warrant against Matobato is called a 鈥渂ench warrant,鈥� issued by a judge when an accused violates a court order, such as an order to appear for arraignment and hearings. If the accused is temporarily free on bail, the judge cancels the bail and issues a bench warrant of arrest so that authorities may apprehend the accused and bring him to court.
Trillanes said a lawyer helping Matobato will try to post bail at the Quezon City regional trial court.
Matabato earlier posted a P2,000-bail when the charge was filed against him in 2014. He claimed the police burst into his house without a warrant to seize his unlicensed firearm in an apparent attempt to link him to the murder of a businessman.
Trillanes, for his part, said Matobato will continue disclosing what he knows about the Davao Death Squad, either before another Senate committee or directly to the media. CDG/rga
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