‘CONSCIENCE TELLS ME TO TELL TRUTH’
Lascañas says blind obedience to then mayor Duterte led him to kill a lot of people Sen. Ejercito says the people backing Lascañas are the same ones who ousted his father Joseph Estrada from office
Following his decision to recant his testimony last year denying the existence of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), former SPO3 Arthur Lascañas faced again on Monday the senators who are now doubting his credibility.
At the hearing of the committee on public order and illegal drugs, Senator Panfilo Lacson warned Lascañas not to use the Senate as a medium to “vilify” President Rodrigo Duterte, who allegedly organized the DDS when he was the city’s mayor.
“I have grown averse to flip-flopping statements...It all boils down to a test of your credibility not to mention your motivation for recanting your earlier statement,” the committee chair said in his opening statement.
Lascañas reiterated that his “conscience” dictated that he tell the truth by making a public confession.
“Nag- flash back sa akin na ang dami kong ginawang pagpatay... Sa pagsunod kay Mayor Duterte, nagkaroon ako ng blind obedi
ence and loyalty. Dito namulat sa akin na hindi pala tama ang pagpatay...Kaya ginawa ko ito. Gumawa ako ng isang written confes- sion (It came as a flashback that I did a lot of killings...by following Mayor Duterte, I had blind obedience and lotalty. I suddenly realized that it’s not right to kill... That’s why I’m doing this. I wrote a confessions),” said Lascanas.
“I ask for your apology and understanding. I fear for the lives of my loved ones. It was SPO4 Sonny Buenaventura who advised me to deny everything.”
Lascañas narrated several incidents where he participated directly and indirectly on the operations of DDS, which include the killing of broadcaster Jun Pala as instructed by Duterte himself. Pala was a known critic of Duterte during his stint as Davao Mayor.
“I was contacted by SPO4 Son- ny Buenaventura for P3 million to kill Jun Pala,” Lascanas said, as he admitted receiving an additional bonus of P1 million after they were able to kill Pala. Pala escaped two ambush attempts before he was finally killed.
Vice Mayor Paulo “Pulong” Duterte was also mentioned as a very close friend of an alleged drug lord in Davao known as Charlie Tan. Tan has been tagged as one of those linked in illegal trade in Davao City.
Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito said it was a “deja vu” on his part because the same people who helped oust his father former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada were the ones now helping Lascañas.
I have grown averse to flip-flopping statements...It all boils down to a test of your credibility not to mention your motivation for recanting your earlier statement. SENATOR PANFILO LACSON