An alleged member of the inner circle in the dreaded Davao Death Squad (DDS) during the tenure of then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte confessed that he was part of the Duterte-ordered killings of many persons that included his own two brothers and radio commentator Jun Pala.
The testimony of SPO3 Arthur Lascañas, 56, retired Davao city policeman, during a public confession in a press briefing at a room of the Senate immediately raised possibilities that a member or members of the House of Representatives might initiate impeachment proceedings against President Duterte.
The current bloody anti-illegal drug campaign has resulted in the death of 7,000 persons since last July but police authorities claimed that about less than a third of the death toll was caused by legitimate police operations.
“I did it to my own brothers, pinapatay ko (I had them killed because they went into illegal dug protection),’’ he said. He said he did this because of his blind loyalty to Duterte who was waging a campaign against illegal drugs.
The Lascañas brothers liquidated were Cecilio and Fernando.
He then cried.
“They might kill me. I am contented because what I promised to God is to make a public confession. I hope that some day the country would have a police organization that has true honor, god-fearing and pro-people…that will serve and protect, not serve and collect. God bless our country and our police organization,’’ Lascañas said.
During the early part of the press briefing, Lascañas narrated how his core group in the DDS killed many persons involved in the crimes committed in the city.
This included the killing of the financier of a kidnapping group, his wife who was seven months pregnant, a four to five-year old son, his 70-year-old father-in-law, a male helper and female helper earlier picked up in Cotabato City.
They were killed with a 22 caliber gun with a silencer, he said.
He then narrated how Duterte paid his group P3 million for the liquidation of Jun Pala who was a vocal critic of his administration.
Also involved in the killings were rebel returnees.
The bloody anti-illegal drug campaign of President Duterte had resulted in 7,000 deaths since he took over Malacañang last July. (Mario Casayuran)
lascanas get huge payment than his retirement. kahit makulong siya, nakakasiguro na ang pamilya niya. and one thing, masarap buhay maalagaan ni trillanes sa safehaus tulad ni matobato. mei murder case si matobato pero si trillanes ang nag bail at inaalagaan niya ngayon si matobato..dalawa na ang alaga ng paid machinery na si trillanes. need talaga ni trillanes maibalik ang mga perang nawala sa kanya par sa pamilya niya. ang sarap lang talaga ng maraming pera. lahat nagagawa.