ONE NATION UNDER GOD: Self-confessed death squad member

READ:: Panelo: Duterte 'ignoring lies' of De Lima witness.

<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px;"><b><i>'Alam mo kaming mga abogado, kung walang kakuwenta-kuwenta 'yan, hindi talaga namin papansinin,' says Chief Presidential Counsel Salvador Panelo, explaining President Rodrigo Duterte's uncharacteristic silence on the issue.</i></b></span><br />
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<b><i>CHIEF COUNSEL. Chief Presidential Counsel Salvador Panelo (left) chats with President Rodrigo Duterte after a Palace meeting. File photo by King Rodriguez/PPD</i></b></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px;">MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte had lashed at the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">United Nations</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px;"> and the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">US government</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #4c4c4c; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 25.5px;"> for calling out his administration on the spate of killings linked to his war on drugs, but for now, he has opted to remain silent on the allegations of an alleged former member of the Davao Death Squad.</span><br />
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Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said in an interview with reporters on Friday, September 16, that the President has apparently taken a stance of silence as the testimony of Edgar Matobato before the Senate committee on justice and human rights the day before is "full of lies."</div>
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Asked what the President had said about the allegations that he had ordered killings in Davao City when he was mayor, Panelo said, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">“E nakita mo, hindi nga pinapansin. Kasi alam mo kaming mga abogado, kung walang kakuwenta-kuwenta ‘yan, hindi talaga namin papansinin.”</em></div>
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(As you can seen, he’s ignoring it. You know, we, lawyers, would really ignore something that is really worthless.)</div>
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When asked, Panelo said no one has to advise the President not to dignify the Matobato’s allegations. “You don’t even have to advise this President. He’s such a smart, intelligent thinking lawyer, the President,” Panelo said.</div>
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The Palace official, however, did not directly respond to questions on whether Duterte knew about Matobato’s testimony, which detailed the alleged operations of the Davao Death Squad under Duterte when he was Davao City mayor.</div>
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Matobato had claimed that the group killed about 1,000 people from 1988 to 2013, mostly suspected criminals, upon orders of Duterte.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">“E unang-una nga, ke alam mo o hindi, kung kasinungalingan naman bakit mo pa papansinin? Tandaan niyo, during the campaign lahat na itinapon sa kanya and yet despite that he won overwhelmingly; landslide. And upon assumption of office he got 91% [trust] rating. Makikita natin na ang mga tao e di naniniwala sa lahat ng mga kasinungalingan na itinatapon kay Presidente Duterte</em>,” he said.</div>
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(First of all, whether you know about it or not, if it’s all lies, why even bother? Remember, during the campaign, everything was hurled against him and yet despite that, he won overwhelmingly; landslide. And upon assumption of office he got 91% [trust] rating. We can see that the people do not believe all these lies against President Duterte.)</div>
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Like Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Panelo alleged that Matobato was a “perjured witness.” He cited the opinion of several senators that the self-confessed former hitman lied in his Senate testimony.</div>
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To Senator Leila de Lima, who insists that Matobato is a “credible witness,” Panelo said, “Do your homework.”</div>
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SOURCE: <a href="http://chief%20counsel.%20chief%20presidential%20counsel%20salvador%20panelo%20%28left%29%20chats%20with%20president%20rodrigo%20duterte%20after%20a%20palace%20meeting.%20file%20photo%20by%20king%20rodriguez/PPD%20%20MANILA,%20Philippines%20%E2%80%93%20President%20Rodrigo%20Duterte%20had%20lashed%20at%20the%20United%20Nations%20and%20the%20US%20government%20for%20calling%20out%20his%20administration%20on%20the%20spate%20of%20killings%20linked%20to%20his%20war%20on%20drugs,%20but%20for%20now,%20he%20has%20opted%20to%20remain%20silent%20on%20the%20allegations%20of%20an%20alleged%20former%20member%20of%20the%20Davao%20Death%20Squad.%20Chief%20Legal%20Counsel%20Salvador%20Panelo%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20reporters%20on%20Friday,%20September%2016,%20that%20the%20President%20has%20apparently%20taken%20a%20stance%20of%20silence%20as%20the%20testimony%20of%20Edgar%20Matobato%20before%20the%20Senate%20committee%20on%20justice%20and%20human%20rights%20the%20day%20before%20is%20%22full%20of%20lies.%22%20%20Asked%20what%20the%20President%20had%20said%20about%20the%20allegations%20that%20he%20had%20ordered%20killings%20in%20Davao%20City%20when%20he%20was%20mayor,%20Panelo%20said,%20%E2%80%9CE%20nakita%20mo,%20hindi%20nga%20pinapansin.%20Kasi%20alam%20mo%20kaming%20mga%20abogado,%20kung%20walang%20kakuwenta-kuwenta%20%E2%80%98yan,%20hindi%20talaga%20namin%20papansinin.%E2%80%9D%20%20(As%20you%20can%20seen,%20he%E2%80%99s%20ignoring%20it.%20You%20know,%20we,%20lawyers,%20would%20really%20ignore%20something%20that%20is%20really%20worthless.)%20%20When%20asked,%20Panelo%20said%20no%20one%20has%20to%20advise%20the%20President%20not%20to%20dignify%20the%20Matobato%E2%80%99s%20allegations.%20%E2%80%9CYou%20don%E2%80%99t%20even%20have%20to%20advise%20this%20President.%20He%E2%80%99s%20such%20a%20smart,%20intelligent%20thinking%20lawyer,%20the%20President,%E2%80%9D%20Panelo%20said.%20%20The%20Palace%20official,%20however,%20did%20not%20directly%20respond%20to%20questions%20on%20whether%20Duterte%20knew%20about%20Matobato%E2%80%99s%20testimony,%20which%20detailed%20the%20alleged%20operations%20of%20the%20Davao%20Death%20Squad%20under%20Duterte%20when%20he%20was%20Davao%20City%20mayor.%20%20Matobato%20had%20claimed%20that%20the%20group%20killed%20about%201,000%20people%20from%201988%20to%202013,%20mostly%20suspected%20criminals,%20upon%20orders%20of%20Duterte.%20%20%E2%80%9CE%20unang-una%20nga,%20ke%20alam%20mo%20o%20hindi,%20kung%20kasinungalingan%20naman%20bakit%20mo%20pa%20papansinin?%20Tandaan%20niyo,%20during%20the%20campaign%20lahat%20na%20itinapon%20sa%20kanya%20and%20yet%20despite%20that%20he%20won%20overwhelmingly;%20landslide.%20And%20upon%20assumption%20of%20office%20he%20got%2091%%20[trust]%20rating.%20Makikita%20natin%20na%20ang%20mga%20tao%20e%20di%20naniniwala%20sa%20lahat%20ng%20mga%20kasinungalingan%20na%20itinatapon%20kay%20Presidente%20Duterte,%E2%80%9D%20he%20said.%20%20(First%20of%20all,%20whether%20you%20know%20about%20it%20or%20not,%20if%20it%E2%80%99s%20all%20lies,%20why%20even%20bother?%20Remember,%20during%20the%20campaign,%20everything%20was%20hurled%20against%20him%20and%20yet%20despite%20that,%20he%20won%20overwhelmingly;%20landslide.%20And%20upon%20assumption%20of%20office%20he%20got%2091%%20[trust]%20rating.%20We%20can%20see%20that%20the%20people%20do%20not%20believe%20all%20these%20lies%20against%20President%20Duterte.)%20%20Like%20Justice%20Secretary%20Vitaliano%20Aguirre%20II,%20Panelo%20alleged%20that%20Matobato%20was%20a%20%E2%80%9Cperjured%20witness.%E2%80%9D%20He%20cited%20the%20opinion%20of%20several%20senators%20that%20the%20self-confessed%20former%20hitman%20lied%20in%20his%20Senate%20testimony.%20%20To%20Senator%20Leila%20de%20Lima,%20who%20insists%20that%20Matobato%20is%20a%20%E2%80%9Ccredible%20witness,%E2%80%9D%20Panelo%20said,%20%E2%80%9CDo%20your%20homework.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank">RAPPLER</a></div>

READ:: Panelo: Duterte 'ignoring lies' of De Lima witness.

'Alam mo kaming mga abogado, kung walang kakuwenta-kuwenta 'yan, hindi talaga namin papansinin,' says Chief Presidential Counsel...

READ: Liberal Party's 'Plan B'? Cayetano says EJK probe might have political motive.

11:56:00 PM TodaysUpdatePH 0

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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "utkal" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;">Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — </span>Senator Alan Peter Cayetano challenged the real motive behind the Senate hearing on extrajudicial killings — where one witness was implicating President Rodrigo Duterte in summary killings in Davao City back when Duterte was Mayor.</div>
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On Thursday, the Senate resumed its inquiry on the spate of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and summary executions in the country. Its key witness was Edgar Matobato, a self-professed member of the shadowy vigilante group Davao Death Squad.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "utkal" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://todaysupdateph.blogspot.com/2016/09/read-senate-witness-paolo-duterte.html" target="_blank">Read: Witness says he killed people in Davao City upon orders of Duterte</a></span></div>
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One of Matobato's allegations against President Rodrigo Duterte is the latter's ties to hundreds of gruesome summary killings committed by the Davao Death Squad — some allegedly ordered by Duterte when he was city mayor.</div>
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Cayetano warned that the probe could be a ploy executed by the Liberal Party — former President Benigno Aquino and incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo's political party — to unseat President Duterte.</div>
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The senator, who was Duterte's running mate last election, said that there is a possible motive to ruin the reputation of the President to be able to put one of Liberal Party's key members in the country's top position.</div>
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"Gusto ko ipakita na merong posibleng motibo ng paninira sa ating Pangulo dito… I'm asking about you [Sen. De Lima], your motive, and the motive of your party [Liberal Party] in this hearing… I am testing whether [the witnesses are credible] or is this part of the 'Plan B' of the Liberal Party para makuha ang Malacañang at manira lang," Cayetano said.</div>
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[Translation: I want to show there is a possible motive to destroy the reputation of our President. I am asking about you [Sen. De Lima], your motive, and the motive of your party in this hearing. I am testing whether [the witnesses are credible] or is this a part of the 'Plan B' of the Liberal Party to regain Malacañang and to malign.]</div>
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Cayetano hypothetically asked Matobato what will happen if President Duterte is found guilty of heading the Davao Death Squad, following up with a question as to who will replace Duterte if he is impeached.</div>
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"Ewan ko lang, sir," Matobato answered.</div>
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Unsatisfied with his answer, Cayetano further prodded him, "Hindi mo kilala sino ang Bise Presidente ng bansa? [You don't know the country's Vice President is?]"<br />
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Cayetano says there is motive to malign Duterte. "I am testing if this is a part of the 'Plan B' of Liberal Party" <a href="https://t.co/nS3xAIK2ZL">pic.twitter.com/nS3xAIK2ZL</a></div>
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) <a href="https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/776284927109140480">September 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: cnn-medium, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif; font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://go.ad2up.com/afu.php?id=774878" target="_blank">Related: Malacañang denies Motabato's claims</a></span></div>
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The Senator then pointed out the members of the Liberal Party in the Senate, including the Senate Justice Committee Chairperson Leila de Lima.</div>
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"Imbento lang ba 'to at dinala ka dito para pabagsakin itong administrasyong ito? Sino-sino ang gustong magpabagsak ng gobyernong ito?" Cayetano asked the witness.</div>
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[Translation: Are you just making this up? Were you brought to this hearing to destabilize this government? Who are behind the ploy to overthrow this government?]</div>
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When Cayetano said there might be a political motive to the hearings, Matobato stressed he was not out to malign the President, and he only wants to tell the truth.</div>
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To disprove claims of Duterte's alleged involvement in the killings in Davao during his term as Mayor, Cayetano cited how the local office of the Commission on Human Rights already denied the existence of the Davao Death Squad.</div>
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'Offended' Robredo reacts</h2>
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Vice President Leni Robredo is "offended" by Cayetano's accusations that the Liberal Party is plotting to oust Duterte and that she will benefit if he is removed from power.</div>
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"As I have reiterated time and again, it is not good for the country to go through another period of upheaval, where the common Filipino will suffer the most," she said in a statement sent on Thursday.</div>
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She also assured the public that she personally said in Wednesday's Cabinet meeting that there is no plan to unseat Duterte.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: cnn-medium, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif; font-weight: 700;"><a href="http://go.ad2up.com/afu.php?id=774878" target="_blank">Related: Robredo denies impeachment plans against Duterte</a></span></div>
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Robredo also recognized the gravity of the allegations made by Matobato against the President.</div>
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'Plan B'</h2>
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The rumor about the so-called "Plan B" emerged during the election period. Its existence was vehemently denied by Robredo then.</div>
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Earlier this week, President Duterte said "yellow forces" are trying to build an impeachment case against him. While he did not name those so-called "yellow forces," the term "yellow" is associated with the Liberal Party as it is the political party's color.</div>
<span style="font-family: cnn-light, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 18.992px; line-height: 27.1314px;">He added the impeachment case will center on killings related to his administration's war on drugs.</span><br />
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SOURCE: <a href="http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/09/15/cayetano-extra-judicial-killings-probe-political-motive-Liberal-Party.html" target="_blank">CNN PHILIPPINES</a><br />
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READ: Liberal Party's 'Plan B'? Cayetano says EJK probe might have political motive.

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READ: Self-confessed death squad member tags Duterte in killings.

9:27:00 PM TodaysUpdatePH 0

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxH_oWSTpdXp7O8KMd-ojU0UpdT7aJhyIIpbgjUx_tI0daOYFdGOLFC1Y8lddOLqRsBtyLysNuj3tAIqpo1o3olOstul7pIog-2SyNyWJWy7DpiqQgvAicgtvvv33RwF3Glof90RXm7Y/s1600/Screenshot_24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxH_oWSTpdXp7O8KMd-ojU0UpdT7aJhyIIpbgjUx_tI0daOYFdGOLFC1Y8lddOLqRsBtyLysNuj3tAIqpo1o3olOstul7pIog-2SyNyWJWy7DpiqQgvAicgtvvv33RwF3Glof90RXm7Y/s640/Screenshot_24.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.5;">MANILA - A self-confessed assassin on Thursday accused President Rodrigo Duterte of ordering the killing of suspected criminals in Davao City during his reign as mayor.</span></div>
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Edgar Matubato, a former army militia, told a Senate hearing that he was recruited to a hit squad called the "Lambada Boys" alongside five others in 1988, when Duterte started his first term.</div>
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Under questioning by Sen. Leila de Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte's bloody war on drugs, Matubato said he killed around 50 people from 1988 to 2013.</div>
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"Ang trabaho po namin ay pumapatay ng kriminal kagaya ng [Our job is to kill criminals like] drug pusher, rapist, snatcher. Ganyan po ang pinapatay namin araw-araw [These are the people we kill everyday]," he said.</div>
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"Gusto kong bigyan ng katarungan 'yung nagawa kong mga kasalanan, 'yung pumatay akong ng mga tao, matagal na rin... para malaman ng taumbayan ang ginawa namin sa Davao City, [I want justice for my sins. I killed people. I want our countrymen to know what we did in Davao]," he said.</div>
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Matubato also accused Duterte of ordering a bomb attack on a Davao City mosque in 1993. The mayor, he said, believed Muslims were behind an explosion at the Cathedral of Davao City earlier that year.</div>
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"Umakyat siya (Duterte) sa opisina namin, kinausap si Major Asindista, na i-massacre niyo iyung mga mosque, mga Muslims [He went to our office and told Major Asindista to massacre the mosques, the Muslims]," he said.</div>
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Asked if he personally saw Duterte giving the order, Matubato said: "Andoon man ako sa opisina. Palagi akong dikit sa mga opisyal. Parang gumaganti siya na binomba ang cathedral. [I was at the office. I was always beside the officials. He may be seeking revenge for the bombing of the cathedral]."</div>
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But there were no injuries since there was no worship service at the mosque during the attack so Duterte ordered the hit squad to "capture" and "kill" suspects in the cathedral blast, Matubato said.</div>
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"Inaabangan namin iyung mga Muslim, dinudukot namin, pinagpapatay namin, inililibing namin sa mga quarry. [We ambush Muslims, abduct them, kill them and bury them in quarries]," he said.</div>
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Matubato said the death squad was also behind the killing of foreign terror suspect Sali Makdum in 2002.</div>
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With their alleged team leader police officer Arthur Lascañas, the witness, said they kidnapped Makdum from Samal City and brought him to the Davao City police office, then headed by Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa who is now director of the Philippine National Police.</div>
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"Pinatay namin, chinop-chop namin doon sa mga quarry, inilibing namin doon sa mga quarry [We killed him, chopped up his body and buried him at the quarry site]," he said.</div>
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Matubato said the death squad was ordered to ensure that criminals did not die under "ordinary" circumstances.</div>
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"Hindi pumapayag ang opisyal na ordinaryo lang ang pagkamatay ng mga tao kasi parang mga sadista. Kailangan putol-putulin iyung katawan. Kinukuhanan muna ng mga damit, tapos sinusunog tapos china-chop-chop na [The official does not allow an ordinary death for people because they are like sadists. We need to chop up their bodies. We get their clothes, burn them then chop them up]," he said.</div>
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SOURCE: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/15/16/self-confessed-death-squad-member-tags-duterte-in-killings" target="_blank">ABS-CBN</a></div>

READ: Self-confessed death squad member tags Duterte in killings.

De Lima witness(LIVE) Expect more witnesses. former Davao Death Squad member Self-confessed death squad member READ: Self-confessed death squad member tags Duterte in killings.

MANILA - A self-confessed assassin on Thursday accused President Rodrigo Duterte of ordering the killing of suspected criminals in Davao ...