MANILA, Philippines — Coming from a “flip-flopping witness,” the accusation of retired police officer Arturo Lascañas against Vice President Sara Duterte linking her to extrajudicial killings in Davao City lacks credibility and “cannot withstand the standards of a fair trial,” former senator Panfilo Lacson said yesterday.
In a post on X, Lacson expressed his distrust of Lascañas, recalling his appearance in 2016 before the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs “without any corroborating witness or physical evidence to support his testimony” against then president Rodrigo Duterte.
Based on Senate records obtained yesterday by The STAR, Lacson said the former police officer was “not the person to prove numerous unresolved crimes in Davao City.”
From an undisclosed location overseas, Lascañas told the media in a video interview on Wednesday of his submission of a 186-page affidavit to the International Criminal Court (ICC) containing information linking the former president and his daughter, now the Vice President and education chief, to the extrajudicial killings in Davao City.
Based on the sponsorship speech on May 24, 2017 of Lacson for the committee report on the Senate investigation on Lascañas’ confession, the former police officer recanted his testimonies many times, indicating his “unreliability.”
“The recantation of Lascañas was evaluated in the context of his uncorroborated statement, as against public records and evidence that he and other witnesses presented and submitted in the previous inquiry conducted by the committee on justice and human rights,” Lacson said. “Finally, his recantation was interpreted as a mere sign of his unreliability.”
A self-confessed member of Davao Death Squad, Lascañas first appeared before the Senate committee on justice and human rights on Oct. 3, 2016, to testify under oath on the existence of the DDS and on the elder Duterte’s involvement in the killings.
Lacson said the committee on public order and dangerous drugs launched the inquiry in response to the privilege speech of then senator Antonio Trillanes IV on the public confession of Lascañas.
He noted that Lascañas, an ailing man undergoing dialysis in a hospital in Davao City, decided to tell all, reportedly after being terrified in a dream by a demon inside his hospital room.
“The dream seemed so real, he even had flashbacks on certain incidents of his life, particularly the times when he killed people. He recalled calling the name of Jesus and made a promise to serve His will from thereon,” Lacson said.
“Thereafter, he found himself saved by a child-like image appearing from a bright light. He then woke up from his dream and became a renewed man. That was the story of the spiritual awakening of Mr. Arturo Lascañas,” he added.
Denied
But facing the Senate, Lascañas under oath denied the existence of DDS, calling it “nothing more than media hype,” Lacson said.
At the same hearing, Lascañas also branded Edgar Matobato – another witness against Duterte – a liar.
“Four months later, he was back here at the Senate and recanted his previous testimony,” the former senator said.
“Let us not overlook the fact that Lascañas, a person who claimed as someone with close personal relations with the president of the Republic (Duterte), admittedly tried but failed to close deals and secure contracts with the government, namely Small Town Lottery franchises, customs brokerage, van terminal and quarrying,” Lacson added.
He had also pointed out inconsistencies in details divulged by Lascañas regarding places where extrajudicial killings had taken place or the names of those killed.
Lacson said a memorandum submitted to the Senate by the Philippine National Police Anti-Kidnapping Group dated March 3, 2017 said there was no record of an abduction reported by Lascañas of a Mrs. Abaca. Lascañas was earlier said to have testified that a certain Mr. Patasaja was ordered killed for masterminding the kidnapping of Mrs. Abaca.
“While it is true that a witness is not expected to give error-free testimony considering the lapse of time and the treachery of human memory… but the pronouncement of the Supreme Court on inconsistencies on minor lapses should not be twisted in order to be applicable to contradictions on relevant matters as to how a person witnessed the commission of a crime,” Lacson added.
Doubts
The former senator had also expressed doubts on Lascañas’ claim that the elder Duterte, as Davao City mayor, ordered him to kill broadcaster Jun Pala in exchange for P3 million. Lacson said even Pala’s widow had claimed that the murdered broadcaster had many enemies.
“These untruthful statements, given under oath before a Senate committee, undermine Congress’ constitutionally granted authority to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation. These attempts to impede the legislative branch from performing its constitutional function must therefore be punished accordingly,” Lacson said in his speech.
“The inconsistencies and lack of evidentiary value of the testimony presented, stories and allegations as to this so-called Davao Death Squad will continue to plague this nation,” he added.
“One thing is for sure, Arturo Lascañas is not the person to prove its actual existence and finally bring to justice the perpetrators of numerous unresolved crimes in Davao City or elsewhere if proven so.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, national police chief during the Duterte administration, said Lascañas’ main agenda in linking the Vice President to extrajudicial killings in Davao City was to eliminate the Duterte family and to undermine moves in the Senate to investigate the ongoing Charter change drive through people’s initiative.
“The people behind him are trying to eliminate the Duterte family and Duterte allies. That one thing is very clear. And why is it happening just now when we are investigating the PI? This is a very diversionary move coming from people behind the PI,” Dela Rosa said.
“In due time you will know the truth. I am convinced and I know that there is an instruction but in due time you will know, I will not say now,” he added.
The Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation chaired by Sen. Imee Marcos has started its investigation on PI, specifically on reports of bribery and use of public funds.
Dela Rosa said he would have his head cut off if Lascañas would be able to present evidence linking the Vice President to extrajudicial killings.
He recalled that Lascañas had praised him in the past. “He said I was a good police officer, he said that I was not behind such acts then, now he’s implicating me.”