SOJ Post Hearing Statement on the September 15, 2016 Senate Committee on Justice Hearing on Extrajudicial Killings

“A testimony that is rich in falsity and fabrication. The Senate Committee on Justice hearing yesterday wasted valuable government resources and our people’s money by listening to the testimony of Edgardo Matobato. It was not a hearing on extrajudicial killing, it was a case of EXTRA-JUDICIAL LYING!”, Justice Secretary Aguirre said after the Senate Committee on Justice’s, chaired by Senator Leila De Lima, hearing on Extrajudicial Killing yesterday.

“Matobato is clearly lying. He has been coached. In my 44 years as a practicing lawyer, I have always believed that evidence to be credible it must emanate from a credible source, and Matobato is not credible. Look at his testimony. He said that Mayor Duterte had ordered the killing of the bodyguards of Congressman Prospero Nograles but Congressman Karlo Nograles has already said that from his time as the chief of staff of his father up to the present, none of their bodyguards have been killed. As a matter of fact, Congressman Nograles said that all their bodyguards are still alive.

He then said that he was a bodyguard of Paolo Duterte when he studied in Ateneo de Davao. As you may have read in the news and in social media, that statement was wrong on two counts. Paolo Duterte never studied in Ateneo de Davao, he studied in Philippine Women’s College or PWC where his mother teaches. That can easily be verified. And a schoolmate of Paolo Duterte said that Matobato was never a bodyguard of Paolo Duterte. He was clearly lying. Perhaps the only thing in his testimony that is true is his name!”, added Secretary Aguirre.

“Edgar Motabato could not even make up his mind on his facts. Initially he said he was a ghost employee by Davao City Hall and receives 3K per month but later changed it to 5K, ano ba talaga? Initially he revealed that he killed 50 persons but later on he said it could be 1,000 or more. There is such a big gap between 50 and 1000. So which is which? One does not forget such facts if it is indeed true. You will kill one person and your conscience does not make you forget easily but Matobato could not make up his mind if it is 50 or 1000.”, Sec. Aguirre further stated.

“The most improbable statement made by Edgar Matobato yesterday? 30 persons shot a person but the latter was still alive and it took Mayor Duterte two magazine load of an uzi rifle to finish the life of the person. It’s so incredible!”, said Sec. Aguirre.

“In addition, Edgar Matobato stated during the hearing yesterday that on 2003, Senator De Lima, as CHR Chairpeson, had a police operation to dig the graves of victims of alleged extrajudicial killings; Senator De Lima immediately corrected Matobato and said that the digging was done in 2009. Apparently, the Chairperson of the Committee on Justice was lawyering for the witness”, observed Secretary Aguirre.

“Senator De Lima has always touted that she has a very good witness against Mayor Duterte. How come that in all her years as Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights and during her years as Secretary of Justice that she made this claim, not a single case was filed? It defies logic. Again, I asked the the question I asked yesterday, WHY ONLY NOW? Edgar Matobato denied that he executed an affidavit. However, this morning Senator De Lima admitted that the numerous accusations made by Edgar Matobato before the Senate hearing yesterday were not contained in the alleged affidavit that he submitted when he applied for admission to the Witness Protection Program. The contradiction here insults our imagination!”, said Secretary Aguirre.

“I believe that this hearing is a desperate measure to mask the effect of the forthcoming House of Representatives Committee on Justice Hearing on the proliferation of drugs at the Bilibid prison.

Desperate Times call for Desperate Measures and I believe somebody is desperate. In practice, there is a saying, the best defense is offense. The hearing yesterday with Edgardo Matobato as a witness is a poorly and an untruthfully orchestrated attempt at being on the offense.”, Sec. Aguirre further said.

“I invite everyone to watch the forthcoming House of Representative’s Committee on Justice hearing on the Proliferation of Drugs in the NBP next week, and you will see the reason for this desperation on the part of some persons.”, said Secretary Aguirre.

On 18:52:00

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Drug lords controlling country’s politicians – Dela Rosa

PNP chief Dela Rosa says, 'Our fearless forecast is that by January 1, we will eliminate 70% to 90% of drugs'

     FIGHTING DRUGS. PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa pose with locals in Legazpi. Photo by Rhaydz Barcia.

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said on Friday, September 16, the Philippines was heading toward a doomsday scenario without a stronger war on drugs.

Dela Rosa said this during a press conference at Camp General Simeon Ola on Friday, September 16.

The director general said the past 3 decades have seen the country run by narcopolitics, with numerous politicians winning in past elections through the support of powerful drug lords.

These drug lords operating in the country are also involved in illegal gambling, explained Dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa cited one prosecutor whom he said receives P600 million annually from drug lords, with the money being deposited to his bank account. He also said some of these drug lords still threaten judges despite being behind bars.

He added that many elected mayors in the country won in the past elections due to financial support from drug lords.

“Many politicians in the country won in the past elections due to drug money from drug lords. Narcopolitics is taking place in our country, like in the case of Lanao, wherein numerous mayors admitted that they won because of drug money,” he said.

Dela Rosa also pointed to cops from Regions 6 and 7 receiving bribes from drug lords. These cops, he pointed out, are now assigned to Maguindanao.

He also explained that under the helm of President Rodrigo Duterte, some 720,000 out of a total of 1.8 million Filipinos on drug watch lists have surrendered to the Philippine National Police's Oplan TokHang and double-barreled drug-fighting campaign.

High expectations

The police, according to Dela Rosa, is trying its best to eradicate drug operations within 6 months.

Said Dela Rosa, “The expectation of Filipino people is so high and I (would) feel guilty if we cannot accomplish our target to get rid of the drug menace in the country."

He admitted, however, that they even if they could not totally eliminate drugs, they could drastically reduce it by 90% by January of next year.

“Our fearless forecast is that by January 1, we will eliminate 70% to 90% of drugs," he said.

Dela Rosa added the two-month period alone under President Duterte's leadership has brought tremendous gains in the campaign against illegal drugs.

“In the war against drugs, let us continue even stronger for the next 4 months. We cannot afford to let our guard down. So in our fight against illegal drugs, don’t let the enemy hit you. Stay alive to survive because there is no Commission on Human Rights that will feed your family and send your children to school,” the country’s top cop said.

Dela Rosa vowed to support his men thoroughly in their fight against illegal drugs but also asked them to reform, to do their work with professionalism, and to observe courtesy and human rights.

“Many cops are involved in drugs. This is the time for us to reform. As chief of the PNP, I’ll be a good father to you, I’ll take care of you, and we will support you all the way but be good sons,” the top cop said. – Rappler.com

On 18:28:00

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Ambush survivor: 'Matobato tried to kill me in 2014

A retired agrarian reform adjudicator sees Senate witness Edgar Matobato on TV: 'I clearly remember his eyes, nose, and mouth, every attribute, including his ball cap. He is the same person who tried to kill me on October 23, 2014'.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A retired agrarian reform adjudicator from the Davao Region identified Edgar Matobato as the gunman who ambushed him 2014, after seeing the suspect appear in a televised Senate hearing on extrajudicial killings on Thursday, September 15.

“Nakuratan ko, wala ko nakatingog (I was shocked, I was speechless),” lawyer Abeto Salcedo Jr told Rappler on Friday, September 16.

“I clearly remember his eyes, nose, and mouth, every attribute, including his ball cap. He is the same person who tried to kill me on October 23, 2014,” he said.

Salcedo said he is consulting his lawyer about possibly filing a case against Matobato.

Matobato testified on Thursday during a Senate committee's 3rd hearing on extrajudicial killings allegedly related to the Duterte administration's anti-drug campaign. Saying he was part of the Davao Death Squad that is being linked to Duterte, he alleged that the President, when he was still Davao City mayor, ordered criminals and enemies killed.

The date of Salcedo's ambush, if indeed it was carried out by Matobato, would be an important point in the current Senate probe, where he is a key witness by Senator Leila de Lima. The incident in Digos was on October 23, 2014. Matobato was supposed to have beenadmitted to the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice, then under De Lima, in September 2014.

Salcedo, at the time an adjudicator at the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board (DARAB) XI, was aboard the pickup truck of the department when he heard gun fire at the junction of Bonifacio Street and Bago Aplaya in Digos City, Davao del Sur. He was on front seat beside the driver.

“Pagliko namo sa kanto Bonifacio, buto-buto na, nahunong among sakyanan nidagan na akong driver. this gunman nidoul siya sa ako gipaspasan ko ug pusil, kay half open man ang passenger window sa front seat. Gisulod niya iya kamot ug iya ko gipusil, naghigda ko sa sulod sa sakyana. Sigehan naku ug sipa ang portahan hangtud milagrong ana-abri ug nakadagan ko balik sa among opisina kay doul ra man mga 30 to 50 meters ra, maskin daghan na ko ug igo sa bala,” Salcedo recalled.

(When we were at the junction of Bonifacio, I heard a series of gunfire, our vehicle stopped, and my driver ran away. This gunman went to the car and fired shots at me because the window of the front seat was half open. He put his hand in and fired at me while I was lying inside. I kept kicking the door until it miraculously opened. I had gunshot wounds, but I managed to ran back to our office, which is just about 30 or 50 meters away from the ambush site.)

Salcedo said he sustained 6 gunshot wounds, and 3 bullets are still inside his body – one in his left knee, one in his large intestine, and the 3rd bullet in his spinal cord.

“I can clearly remember his face because he was so close to me, only the glass window separated us,” Salcedo said in the vernacular.

Salcedo said he was informed that the group who tried to kill him were hired guns, who were promised P400,000 for the operations. He hinted that the motive could be a land dispute.

Sources in the province said an official at the time had been pressuring Salcedo to reverse a ruling over a huge tract of land that was being eyed for a venture with foreign investors.

Salcedo retired from office in January 2016. – Rappler.com

On 17:42:00

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Land Management Bureau's new system expedites the issuance of DENR land titles

From 6 months to 5 working days! 

During the 115th Anniversary of the Land Management Bureau, the agency launched its Land Administration and Management System— an information system that consolidates and processes records of lands under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

This cuts the approval time of land surveys from the previous six months to one year, down to five working days. The new system also guarantees land tenure security for every Filipino.

On 02:22:00

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Duterte: Taxes will not be waived during my term

President Rodrigo Duterte is not interested in waiving anyone’s taxes.

In a speech delivered before airmen in Villamor Air Base on Tuesday night, Duterte reiterated his commitment to have a clean government and wants to do away with the practice of waiving taxes that run into billions of pesos.

“But I’m telling everybody: Do not do it in my time because I promised the Filipino a clean government. It will be a clean government. Wala talagang korapsyon, lahat na. Pati ‘yang exemption of taxes na waiver ng bilyon sa taas. Bilyon ang laro nila dito, maniwala kayo,” he warned.

“We have a receivable from an energy plant of seven billion. Ni-waive. For what reason? I really do not know. Only one man can waive it. Seven billion, i-waive mo, for what? So walang bayaran dito, basta mayaman, wala. Lusot ‘yang mga eroplano,” Duterte said.

Early in August, the President also told the rich to pay the right taxes.

"Kayong mga mayaman, pay your taxes. I will be announcing formally because I would like to have the list completed. Lahat kayong mayayamang milyonaryo dito sa Pilipinas, pay your taxes. Or I'll invite you for questioning," Duterte said.

"Kung hindi kayo madala, padalhan kita ng pulis. Tanungin bakit hindi ka nagbabayad ng... eh ganoon lang gusto ninyo. That's the only way for you to understand it," the President warned.

Meanwhile, on his first day in office, Duterte revealed that he wanted online gambling stopped. A few months after, he said that he will allow online gambling as long as right taxes are paid. 

— VVP, GMA News

On 02:07:00

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Rodrigo Duterte may undo the economic gains of recent years

UNDER Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines since late June, things have a habit of spiraling out of control. First came his campaign against drugs, which has led to the killing of almost 3,000 suspected dealers by police and unknown assailants, without even a nod at due process. In less than three months, he has presided over three-quarters as many extra-judicial killings as there were lynchings of black people in America between 1877 and 1950.

When Barack Obama expressed concern about the killings, Mr Duterte called him a “son of a whore”. America’s president tried to shrug off the insult. But Mr Duterte took the row to a new level this week, calling for American special forces to leave the southern island of Mindanao, where they have been training Filipino troops fighting several debilitating insurgencies. “For as long as we stay with America,” he said, brandishing a picture of an atrocity committed by American soldiers more than a century ago, “we will never have peace.”

On September 13th he told his defense secretary to buy weapons from

Russia and China rather than America, hitherto the Philippines’ closest ally, and the source of hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid each year. He also said the navy would no longer patrol the South China Sea alongside American vessels. “I do not like the Americans,” said Mr Duterte. “It’s simply a matter of principle for me.”

In other words, Mr Duterte is not just crass and brutal; he is alarmingly volatile. He has little experience of national politics, let alone international affairs, having been mayor of Davao, a city of 1.5m or so, since 1988 (apart from a brief stint as vice-mayor to his daughter and three years as a congressman). Since becoming president, he has threatened to withdraw from the United Nations and to declare martial law. He idolizes Ferdinand Marcos, a former dictator who did impose martial law. He says he wants to give Marcos a hero’s burial in Manila. All this, naturally, frightens both local and foreign investors and threatens to undermine the Philippines’ newly acquired status as South-East Asia’s economic star.

The Philippine economy grew by 7% in the second quarter, year-on-year, roughly double the long-run rate, and faster than China, let alone most other countries in the region. Unemployment, at 5.4%, is falling. The population is young and English-speaking, and a booming service sector is keeping more educated Filipinos from seeking their fortunes abroad. This burgeoning middle class—along with growing remittances from Filipinos abroad—anchors strong domestic consumption. During the six-year term of Mr Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino, the Philippine stock market boomed. Foreign direct investment more than doubled from 2009, the year before Mr Aquino took office, to 2015.

Mr Duterte thus took over a country that was doing very well economically. His campaign focused not on abstractions such as foreign investment and the proper strategic balance between China and America, but on quotidian concerns: crime, traffic, corruption. After admitting that economic policy was not his strong suit, he promised to “employ the economic minds of the country” and leave it to them. His advisers duly released a sensible ten-point plan for the economy: it emphasized macroeconomic stability, improved infrastructure, reduced red tape and a more straightforward and predictable system of land ownership. Mr Duterte has also promised to focus on rural development and tourism. Workers’ advocates are pleased with his promise to crack down on “contractualisation”, whereby employers hire labour from third-party suppliers on short-term contracts to avoid paying benefits. Internet in the Philippines is slow and expensive; Mr Duterte has warned the incumbent telecoms firms to improve service or face foreign competition.

Unfortunately, Mr Duterte’s love of lynching and his propensity to impugn the mothers of foreign dignitaries are making investors nervous. Earlier this month the American Chamber of Commerce warned that the anti-drug campaign was calling into question the government’s commitment to the rule of law. An Asia-based financial adviser says that since Mr Duterte took over, investors are demanding a higher risk premium to hold Philippine assets. As Guenter Taus, who heads the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, puts it, “A lot of people are hesitant to put their money into the Philippines at this point.”

Mr Duterte’s critics fear that the drug trade will only subside temporarily, but the damage done to democratic institutions will linger. The police freely admit that drug syndicates have taken advantage of Mr Duterte’s green light to kill rivals or potential informants. Police impunity makes many nervous: one longtime foreign resident of Manila says he has started to hear fellow expats talk about leaving. He worries that an off-duty policeman could take issue with something he said or did, shoot him and get away scot-free. “This didn’t happen under Aquino,” he says. “You didn’t feel there was a group of people who could kill someone and not go to jail.”

Local businessmen worry that the president might simply denounce their firms as transgressors in some respect, without producing any evidence. Mr Duterte, after all, did something similar when he published a list of officials he accused of being drug dealers. By the same token, Mr Duterte singled out Roberto Ongpin, the chairman of an online-gambling company, as an example of a businessman with undue political influence. Shares in Mr Ongpin’s company promptly plunged more than 50%; Mr Ongpin resigned a day later, and promised to sell his stake in the firm. “Everyone is scared,” says one corporate bigwig. “None of the big business groups will stand up to him. They’re all afraid their businesses will be taken away.”

A similar uncertainty hangs over Mr Duterte’s foreign policy. He seems to be inclined to strengthen the Philippines’ ties with China, at the expense of its alliance with America. During the campaign he criticized his predecessor’s frosty relations with China. The two governments are said to be preparing for bilateral talks—something that has not happened since 2013, when Mr Aquino’s government took a territorial dispute with China to an international tribunal. Shortly after Mr Duterte took office, the tribunal ruled in the Philippines’ favour, but he seems reluctant to press the point.

During the campaign Mr Duterte mused about the dispute with China over the Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground in the South China Sea, “Build me a train around Mindanao, build me a train from Manila to Bicol…and I’ll shut up.” He also admitted that an anonymous Chinese donor had paid for some of his political ads. His reticence with China is all the more striking given his otherwise belligerent rhetoric and swaggering persona.

Of course, it is not clear that Mr Duterte will be able to strike a deal with China, or even that he will continue to pursue the diplomatic volte-face he seems to be contemplating. The optimistic view sees Mr Duterte as more bluster than substance. His chief of police claimed on Sunday that the anti-drug campaign had reduced the supply of illegal drugs by 90%. That may allow him to claim victory and stir up some new furore, even as his advisers soldier on with the more mundane business of government. Optimists speculate that if he follows through on his pledges to improve infrastructure and boost rural development, he might even leave the Philippines in a better condition than he found it.

The pessimistic view sees Mr Duterte continuing to lose friends and alienate people. He picks fights with America, with business, with the other branches of government. China exploits his weakness, increasing its military presence in the Scarborough Shoal without building any railway lines. Investors stay away, and growth declines. The strongman ends up weakening his country. In the Philippines, sadly, that is a familiar story.

On 23:24:00

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