DAVAO CITY – Presidential sister Jocelyn Duterte mulls filing cases against Senator Leila de Lima and witness Edgar Matobato, who implicated her during yesterday’s committee hearing on extra-judicial killings.
In an interview over Bombo Radyo, Jocelyn, 68, called Matobato a liar and questioned the process by which De Lima held Matobato’s testimony which claims the existence of the Davao Death Squad here.
According to Matobato, one of those ordered killed by President Duterte and vice-mayor Paolo Duterte was a dance instructor and lover of Ms. Duterte. He was abducted along Jacinto Street and killed at the Maa quarry in 2013.
“I am not a lawyer, I’m going to a lawyer and I’m going to ask them anong rights ko as an individual and as a private person na kanino bang responsibilidad yang witness nayan na nagsasalita,” Jocelyn said. She added that she was even willing to line up all of her dance instructors for the public to see that they are all alive.
“Walang namatay ha. At hindi ko gusto ang context… anong ibig sabihin niyan?” she said. “I dance for the purpose of dancing, it’s an exercise to me, it’s essential way of expressing myself… wala yang ganun, the way it appeared na parang pinatay dahil sa may ano – I will not go any further.”
Ms. Duterte lamented that her reputation has been tarnished not only in the Philippines but also internationally. “It has nothing to do with the president. This is political mileage for De Lima,” she said. “It is geared towards the president.”
Jocelyn is 3 years younger than the President. He has 3 other siblings: Eleanore, the eldest; Emmanuel or BlueBoy; and Benjamin or Bong. (Yas D. Ocampo)