Manila: Police carried out killings in the Philippine city of Davao under the instruction of then-mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the current president, according to a former policeman who said he was part of a "Davao death squad" (DDS) tasked with eliminating criminals.
Arturo Lascañas, a retired Davao policeman, said on Monday he had previously killed a radio host critical of Duterte at the behest of a driver and close aide of the mayor, and that Duterte had paid money to police for carrying out assassinations.
Duterte has repeatedly denied involvement in vigilantism either as president, or during his total of 22 years as Davao mayor until late 2015.
He and the police have denied the existence of a Davao death squad, describing it as fiction.
"Of all the killings we did in Davao City, either we bury them or throw them into the sea, it is paid (for) by Mayor Rody Duterte," told a news conference at the Senate in Manila. Most of the time 20,000 (pesos; Dh1,746) sometimes 50,000 and depending on the status of the target, sometimes 100,000 (Dh7,380)."
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, in an interview with CNN Philippines, described Lascanas' claims as part of "a protracted political drama" and attempted "character assassination" of Duterte orchestrated by his chief critics.
Turnaround, driven by ‘conscience’
Lascanas' comments differed from those he made at a Senate hearing in October into alleged unlawful drug killings.
Lascanas at that time denied the existence of a Davao death squad.
In so doing, he watered down the testimony of Edgar Matobato, also a self-described DDS hitman — during a Senate inquiry.
His account on Monday corroborates the claims of Matobato, who testified before a Senate hearing in September to personally watching Duterte shoot a man dead and give orders for police to kill suspected criminals.
Lascanas claimed he had a hand in killing his own brothers — who were involved in drugs — out of loyalty for Duterte.
Human rights groups have documented some 1,400 suspicious killings in Davao since the early 1990s and critics say the bloody war on drugs Duterte has unleashed since taking office seven months ago bears the hallmarks of similar methods.
More than 7,700 people have been killed in the nationwide anti-drugs crackdown, some 2,500 in what police say are shootouts during raids and sting operations.
Many of the rest are under investigation and attributed by the authorities to vigilante killings, drugs gangs covering their tracks and unrelated murders. Activists, however, say many have been extrajudicial killings.
DDS’ existence is true
"Totoo po ang existence Davao Death Squad (The existence of Davao Death Squad is true)," Lascañas said at a televised press conference in the Senate compound in Pasay City.
The self-proclaimed DDS pioneer said the group was first composed to target alleged drug lord Allan Tancho. Lascañas named police officers who were the first members of the DDS. The group also commissioned the services of so-called “rebel returnees” from the communist-led New People's Army (NPA).
After supposedly killing their first target, the group left a note saying: "'Wag pamarisan’ (Don’t be like him). Davao Death Squad" as a threat for other drug offenders.
"Ito po ang umpisa. Binabayaran kami ni Mayor Rody Duterte," Lascañas said.
I killed my own brothers
Lascañas also said in Tagalog: “I accept the consequences of my action.” He made an appeal to his fellow policemen, saying that killing is not the solution to crime. “To my fellow cops, killing is not the solution.”
Lascañas added: "Whether I die or get killed, I'm content with the thought that I have fulfilled my promise to God to make a public confession.
Holding back tears, the retired policeman recalled that he himself was involved in the murder of his brothers who were suspected to be involved in illegal drugs.
Lascañas also claimed that he received a monthly allowance of P100,000 from the Office of the Mayor.
Mosque bombing
The retired police officer also claimed that he was involved in the bombing of the Camamara mosque. He said that Duterte ordered the bombing of mosques in retalitation for the bombing of the Davao Cathedral in 1993.
He also claimed involvement in the killing of broadcaster Jun Pala. He said that Duterte hired him to kill the broadcaster through SPO4 Sonny Buenaventura.
"Sabi ni Sonny galit na galit si Mayor Rody kay Jun Pala dahil sa araw-araw sa atake sa radio. Tinanggap ko po ang kontrata," Lascañas said, adding that the contract was worth P3 million.
Lascañas said that he decided to make a public confession due to his conscience and to signal the end of his "blind obedience and loyalty" to Duterte.
During the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights hearings last October 2016, Lascañas denied the existence of the DDS and said that it was only a "media hype."
