The latest allegation of a retired police officer implicating President Duterte to the infamous Davao Death Squad (DDS) is nothing but a demolition job by opponents seeking to overthrow the government, Malacañang said on Monday.
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President has already been cleared from alleged involvement in the DDS, adding the latest character assassination was part of “vicious politics.”
“The demolition job against President Duterte continues. The press conference of self-confessed hitman SPO3 Arthur Lascañas is part of a protracted political drama aimed to destroy the President and to topple his administration,” Andanar said.
“Our people are aware that this character assassination is nothing but vicious politics orchestrated by sectors affected by the reforms initiated by the Duterte administration,” he added.
Arturo Lascañas, a retired Davao policeman, appeared in a press conference on Monday at the Senate, alleging that Duterte paid him and others to kill criminals and opponents.
The former cop earlier denied involvement in the DDS killings in a Senate hearing last year. He explained that he decided to come clean since he was bothered by his conscience.
Andanar, however, insisted that the Commission on Human Rights, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Senate Committee on Justice already cleared the President of extrajudicial killing and his involvement in the DDS.
He said the government will remain focused on serving the public despite the latest attack on the President.
“Bringing change is not an easy task. The Duterte administration has disturbed/disrupted the establishment. However, we remain undistracted in delivering goods and services to serve the people, not just the interest of the few,” he said.
Meanwhile, chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo has branded as “false” and “hearsay” the allegations made by a former Davao policeman that President Duterte was involved in the Davao Death Squad killings.
“It’s hearsay. Even assuming that to be true, still the same conclusion he has no direct communications with the President. In other words, false lahat ng allegation niya,” Panelo told reporters in the Palace.
Panelo said Lascañas was just like confessed hired gun Edgar Matabato who was weaving another “false narration” of events to implicate the President. (Genalyn Kabiing)