Trillanes to present evidence in support of Matobato testimony

 

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday vowed to show evidence and information to prove that Edgar Matobato's claims against President Rodrigo Duterte are true.

Trillanes told dzBB Super Radyo that in the next Senate hearing on the alleged extrajudicial killings, he will show his colleagues the result of his own investigation.

He criticized some of his fellow senators who seemed to be glued at finding loopholes in Matobato's testimony rather than the truth that it might contain.

"Habang yung mga kasamahan natin ay nakatutok kung paano bubutasan si Mr. Matobato, ako nagkalap ng mga ebidensya at impormasyon to validate ang mga sinasabi niya," he said.

He cited his background in doing investigations back when he was at the Honor Committee of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

"Ang ginawa namin 'pag may ganyang impormasyon, pinipiga namin para mapalalim yung impormasyon para malaman namin yung katotohanan. Hindi yung bubutasan mo tapos babaliwalain mo. Hindi ka makakakuha ng katotohanan ng ganon," Trillanes.

He said his fellow senators in the committee on justice and human rights would soon realize that the Senate panel witness is telling the truth.

"May nakuha tayong mga impormasyon at ipapakita natin 'yan sa mga darating na araw para makita na rin nila na itong si Mr. Matobato ay nagsasabi ng totoo...."

He cited as a piece of evidence the discovery of the real existence of terrorist Sali Makdum to prove that Matobato is telling the truth.

"Hindi agad pinaniwalaan kasi wala naman daw taong Sali Makdum sa Google. Pero siya (Matobato), nakita mo siya buo ang loob niya na ... totoo 'yang tao na 'yan. Nakita nila na meron palang taong ganoon. Hindi pa ba proof 'yan na nagsasabi ng totoo yung mama?" 

Meanwhile, Trillanes welcomed the invitation of the Senate to police officers who are alleged members of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) as a test on Matobato's credibility.

"Magkakaalaman na. Kung hindi mo nakasama yang mga pulis na yan, hindi mo makikilala yan," he said. 

Committee chairman Senator Richard Gordon had allowed the move to invite alleged DDS members for Thursday's  hearing.

"Kung 'di niya ma-identify yun wala na, tapos na ang lahat. Kasi sinasabi niya mga kasamahan ko ito, dapat kilala niya ito. That’s one test of the credibility. Then palalim tayo ng palalim," he said.

No coaching Matobato

Trillanes downplayed accusations that Matobato was coached in his testimony because the witness does not read very well.

"Papaano mo mako-coach ito 'di nga marunong magbasa? Papaano mo mapapa-memorize yung mga pangalan na nire-recite niya? Tell me.  Ako 'di ako marunong. Kaya ba nila? Gusto nila gibain o butasan 'di naman nila nagiba. 

"He is still insistent sa mga events, mga details na sinabi niya. Yung mga trivial information talaga nalilito doon pero yung mga detalye na lumutang sa mga naalala niya talagang nandoon," Trillanes added.

Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed member of the supposed Davao Death Squad, a vigilante group in  in Davao City allegedly responsible for summary executions of individuals suspected of petty crimes and dealing in drugs.

The DDS had supposedly executed over a thousand people between 1998 and 2008. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/LBG, GMA News