Perjury, murder

Was Lascañas Senate oath a lie?

MANILA -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Tuesday that perjury and murder charges could be filed against retired Senior Police Officer 3 Arthur Lascañas, the supposed leader of the socalled Davao Death Squad (DDS).

The proposed charges are in relation to statements about the existence of the vigilante group and his admission that he had killed criminals, upon orders of his superior, then

Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Justice Vitaliano Aguirre II said that the DOJ should see first Lascañas’ sworn statements before they can proceed with the filing of the perjury charges for lying to Senate.

“Yes. But we have to have a sworn statement on his contradictory allegations before perjury could prosper,” Aguirre said when asked if the DOJ will file complaints against the selfprofessed hitman.

The Justice Secretary said the DOJ will also file murder charges against Lascañas.

“We will also investigate his admissions of his killings and file murder charges, just like what happened to [another alleged ex-DDS member Edgar] Matobato who is now wanted for murder.”

Lascañas, who earlier denied the existence of the vigilante group, on Monday, admitted that he had lied before the legislative body.

He said his conscience had led him to publicly confess that the DDS indeed had existed during the tenure of then-Davao mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte.

Lascañas also corroborated the claims of Matobato that Duterte had paid thousands of pesos for every criminal the DDS would be able to kill in Davao City.