Gordon, De Lima clash over kidnap case vs Matobato

MANILA, Philippines — Sens. Richard Gordon and Leila De Lima on Monday evening exchanged heated arguments over alleged "material concealment" of findings during the 13-hour Senate hearing on drug-related killings.

Gordon, chair of the Senate justice committee, accused ousted panel chair De Lima of refusing to disclose a pending kidnapping case of witness Edgar Matobato, an self-proclaimed member of the Davao Death Squad.

Matobato, who claims President Rodrigo Duterte founded the death squad, was charged for kidnapping for ransom in 2000, according to National Bureau of Investigation records.

The kidnapping case was allegedly filed by the wife of a certain Sali Makdum. Matobato, however, already mentioned in his first appearance at the hearing on September 2015 that Makdum, whom he knew of as a "terrorist" was kidnapped and killed by DDS in 2002 upon alleged orders of Duterte.

De Lima, who first presented Matobato on September 15 when she was still panel chairperson, failed to mention the kidnapping case. She later said the case is on her notes, and committed an oversight in skipping its mention.

Gordon, however, accused her of material concealment.

De Lima countered Gordon's charge, saying Matobato disclosed it in his first testimony and is therefore found in the hearing transcript. She then demanded an apology from Gordon.

"So where is the material concealment on the part of Senator De Lima? It pains me to be accused of material concealment," De Lima said.

Gordon, for his part, asked the senator to stop melting down.

Trillanes backs De Lima

Sen. Antonio Trillanes, who has a protective custody of Matobato, backed De Lima's claim by reading the transcript of Matobato's September 15 testimony where the witness mentioned the kidnapping case in passing. However, De Lima began to walk out of the hall after being castigated by Gordon, an ally of Duterte.

"Since no apology is forth coming, I'm walking out," fuming De Lima said.

To which Gordon replied: "I am sorry for you then." He then described the De Lima's walkout as "an act of cowardice."

Matobato leaves Senate premises

Prior to the clash between Gordon and De Lima, Trillanes announced that Matobato had left the Senate premises for "security concerns." He claimed that since he provided custody and security for Matobato, he did not want him to travel late at night.

Matobato's disappearance irked Sens. Gordon and Panfilo Lacson who claimed that the Senate has been outsmarted by Matobato, who only had grade school education. Trillanes, however, offered to bring Matobato at the next hearing.

Meanwhile, Sen. Manny Pacquiao moved for the termination of the hearing following the brush. Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, another Duterte ally, backed Pacquiao's motion.

Gordon, however, only allowed a suspension of hearing until further notice as he said the point of the hearing is to determine the truth. He said he still wants to meet with the Commission on Human Rights, which has been criticizing Duterte's government for his anti-drug policies.

The hearing was initially scheduled from October 3 to 7. — Video report by Efigenio Toledo IV; Additional reports by Philippines News Agency / Azer Parrocha