Davao Death Squad does not exist – Senate witnesses

A Davao City policeman alleged to be “very close” to President Duterte yesterday denied the existence of the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS) and considered whistleblower Edgar Matobato’s testimony before the Senate politically motivated. At the resumption of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights probe into the alleged extrajudicial killings, Senior Police Officer 3 Arthur Lascañas yesterday took the witness stand and refuted Matobato’s earlier testimony linking him to a number of summary executions committed by members of the alleged death squad, saying he is lying. Lascañas is just one of the Davao city-based policemen who have been accused of being part of the infamous squad. In the committee’s fourth hearing, he denied he killed certain personalities Matobato had mentioned during his testimony, supposedly upon the orders of Duterte, then Davao City mayor. Lascañas, 55, currently on non-duty status and is set to retire on December 16, 2016, [...]