(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has admitted to knowing SP03 Arthur Lascañas, the retired policeman who flip-flopped on his initial testimony and now says the highest chief executive had a hand in the creation of a supposed Davao Death Squad.
“As a policeman, yes,” Duterte said when asked in an ambush interview if he knew the retired policeman.
Duterte clarified, however, that he only saw Lascañas “once, twice a year.”
“I give the orders to the chief. Wala akong bata bata na ganun. Even sa military,” he said.
He reiterated that there was no such thing as a DDS.
Last year, Lascañas denied the existence of a DDS during a Senate inquiry.
On Feb. 20, the retired policeman recanted his testimony after he was presented to the media by the Free Legal Assistance Group and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Duterte’s staunch critic.
The Senate is set to reopen an inquiry after a caucus on the issue saw 10 senators–Francis Pangilinan, Francis Escudero, Ralph Recto, Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, Leila de Lima, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Joel Villanueva, Sonny Angara and Trillanes—voting in favor of hearing Lascañas again.
Seven senators–Miguel Zubiri, Cynthia Villar, Sherwin Gatchalian, Manny Pacquiao, Aquilino Pimentel III, Gregorio Honasan and Richard Gordon, who chaired the committee where Lascañas first issued the denial— voted against it.
Senators Vicente Sotto III, Panfilo Lacson, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito and Loren Legarda abstained.