SUMUKO ang pangunahing testigo ng Senado kaugnay ng umano’y extrajudicial killing sa bansa na si Edgar Matobato kung saan sinamahan siya ni Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV sa Philippine National Police headquarters sa Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Ipinaaresto si Matobato ng isang korte sa Davao City matapos mabigong dumalo sa pagbasa ng kanyang sakdal kaugnay ng kasong illegal possession of firearms na isinampa sa kanya dalawang taon na ang nakararaan.
Nauna nang inamin ni Matobato na naging bahagi siya ng Davao Death Squad kung saan itinuro niya si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte bilang utak ng vigilante group.
Dumating sina Trillanes at Matobato sa Camp Crame ganap na alas-9 ng umaga. Dinala si Matobato PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region kung saan siya dumaan sa booking process na tumagal ng 30 minuto.
“I’m giving my life to God; whatever happens to me, I’ll accept,” sabi ni Matobato.
Sinabi ni PNP chief Director-General Ronald dela Rosa na dadalhin si Matobato sa korte bilang pagtalima sa kautusan ng judge.
Tiniyak naman ni dela Rosa ang kaligtasan ni Matobato habang nakakulong at habang dinadala sa Davao City.
Kinontra naman ni dela Rosa ang mga puna na hindi ligtas si Matobato sa Davao City matapos namang idawit ang mga pulis sa vigilante group.
“That’s their opinion. For me, it’s safer in Davao. I’m from there. We can manage the situation there, I know the place very well, so he’ll be safe there,” sabi ni dela Rosa.
Sinabi pa ni dela Rosa na bibigyan si Matobato ng isan bullet proof vest at helmet para matiyak ang kanyang kaligtasan.
“I’m giving the assurance that if he’ll be killed, it will be over the dead bodies of our CIDG personnel assigned to him. That’s my word. We’ll give him a bullet-proof vest to wear, even a helmet, bullet-proof goggles and mask. We can armorize his whole body…If you want, we can even make him wear a bomb suit so that even if the vehicle explodes, he’ll remain safe. There won’t be a scratch on him; we’ll do everything to keep him safe,” ayon kay dela Rosa.
Idingdag ni dela Rosa na nagbigay si Matobato ng sentimiyento kaugnay ng kanyang kaso matapos silang mag-usap.
“We’re both from Davao. He knows me pretty well, so he felt calm. He told me in Visayan, ‘I am happy because I have seen you [here]. I’m no longer worried now that you’re here,’” sabi ni dela Rosa.
Sinabi naman ni Trillanes na walang siyang rason para pagdudahan si dela Rosa kaugnay ng kaligtasan ni Matobato.
“I respect [Dela Rosa’s opinion]; he has given be his word. I don’t have any reason to doubt it,” dagdag ni Trillanes.
Tiniyak ni Trillanes na patuloy siyang magbibigay ng kustodiya kay Matobato pagkatapos niyang magpiyansa.
“We will get him again [after he posts bail]. I’ll continue to provide him protective custody. We won’t abandon him,” ayon pa kay Trillanes.
Kinuwestiyon naman ni Trillanes ang timing ng paglalabas ng warrant laban kay Matobato.
“What we see here is that this is the part of the persecution…If you are a critic of the President, this is what will happen to you,” dagdag ni Trillanes.