Matobato says he became a hitman to seek justice for slain pa

An emotional Edgar Matobato said on Thursday that he joined the so-called Davao Death Squad because he wanted justice for his father who was beheaded in front of him by suspected communist rebels.

“Noong 1977, yung tatay ko pinatay ng mga NPA, pinugutan ng ulo kaya nagkaganyan ako, sir,” Matobato said when asked by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

“Nung nakita ko mismo, sir, yung tatay ko pinugutan ng ulo ng NPA sa aming barangay, sa Brgy. Tamayong, Purok 6.  Kaya nga ang isip ko lumaki-laki ako papasok ako kung ano-anong departamento ng gobyerno para mabigyan ko ang tatay ko ng hustisya, sir,” he said with his voice breaking.

Matobato said that he was part of Community Home Defense Forces in 1982. He said he was recruited in 1988 to become part of the Lambada Boys, which reportedly later became the DDS.

He said he presented himself before the Senate to get justice for himself because his former colleagues wanted him to be dead.

“Sa akin naman ang gusto ko bago nila ako patayin, mabigyan naman ako ng hustisya. Andami nilang inutos sila sa akin, pagpatay, pag ganyan, basta basta lang silang sumusugo sa akin. Andami ko nang nalalaman gusto naman nila akong patayin,” he said.

Matobato earlier said that his former colleagues at the DDS linked him to the death of businessman Richard King after he told them that he wanted to quit.

“Kaya nga nagpunta ako dito maski wala akong aral, nagkusang loob na pumunta rito. Iyan lang ang sasabihin ko, yung tutuo,” Matobato said while wiping his eyes.

He said he would not have killed if it was not ordered by the policemen handling them.

“Hindi naman ako pumapatay ng tao na nagkakapera ako, kasama ko man iyong mga pulis. Hindi naman ako hinuhuli kasi kasama ko iyong mga pulis,” Matobato said.

He said he was now ready to die but he wanted to first get justice.

“Maski bitayin pa ako hindi ako tatakbo tutal matanda ako. Sasabihin ko lang yung tutuo, tutuong tutuo. Hindi na ako pupunta dito kung hindi ako maghanap ng hustisya. Kaya ko nang mamatay, pwede akong magbigti sa sarili ko.  Yan lang ang gusto ko, saan ba ang hustisya sa akin,” Matobato said.

He said that just like the people he killed, he is also seeking justice.

“Nakita ko yung tatay ko na pinugutan ng ulo ng mga NPA at ngayon ako naman ang tinatangkang patayin. Saan ako pupunta para magka-hustisya? Katulad ng mga pinatay namin, naghahanap din ako ng hustisya. Nakonsyensiya na rin ako, iyan lang ang gusto ko,” Matobato said. —NB, GMA News