All lies, Duterte says of Matobato testimony

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Duterte finally broke his silence last night and said self-confessed “executioner” Edgar Matobato’s testimony before the Senate last week was nothing but a lie.

“It is a subornation of perjury. It is a serious crime,” the President said in an ambush interview last night.

Matobato was the witness that Sen. Leila de Lima presented at the Senate inquiry on extrajudicial killings.

Duterte was behind the death squads that killed over 1,000 people in Davao City when he was mayor, Matobato told the Senate.

“When you egg a person to testify even if you know it’s a lie and you have an active participation in it, it is subornation of perjury,” the President said.?

Duterte said that even his son, Davao Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, is also very angry with Matobato for claiming that he once served as the young Duterte’s bodyguard at the Ateneo de Davao University.

“Everbody here knows Paolo was never enrolled at the Ateneo,” the President said.

The President said he knew of Matobato’s affidavit even before he testified.

“Nadisgrasya lang yon. Kaya nagkaganun. It’s a lie,” he added.

He said he does not care how many thousands of investigations or inquiries will be conducted against him as he is keen on his job and his promised to wipe out crime and illegal drug trade in the country.