Matobato to go to Int'l Court

MANILA -- Self-proclaimed hitman Edgar Matobato is eyeing to file a criminal complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC), a lawyer said Monday.

Matobato's legal counsel Jude Sabio said that their camp is looking "very seriously" into filing a case against the President since he has no immunity from suit at the international court.

Sabio explained that the possible offense would be crime against humanity since "murder, when committed in systematic [way] and widespread, is a crime against humanity."

"That is a legal option being looked into. The offense is crime against humanity. In the ICC, the President is not immune from suit," Sabio said in a text message.

"As of now, no definite timetable yet," he added.

Matobato, who was allegedly a former member of the vigilante group

group Davao Death Squad, claimed at a Senate hearing that Duterte had ordered the massive killings of criminals in Davao City when he was then mayor.

He said that over 1,000 individuals had been killed when Duterte was still the Davao City mayor. Duterte, however, had denied the allegation and dismissed it as a mere "lie."

Justice Secretary Vitalliano Aguirre II downplayed the possible filing of criminal complaint against the President, saying it would not prosper.

"That would be thrown into the waste basket," Aguirre said in a separate text message.

Several personalities linked to the DDS, including alleged leader Arthur Lascañas, a police officer, denied any involvement in the vigilante group. SUNNEX