BI to probe Matobato’s ‘escape,’ but De Lima says he’s in ICC’s ‘protective custody’
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is investigating the reported departure of confessed hitman Edgar Matobato from the country.
According to a Jan. 5, 2025 article in the New York Times, Matobato was able to obtain a new identity, passport and job as a “gardener.”
“We will be conducting an investigation into the information stated in the article,” said BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval in a message to reporters on Monday.
Matobato, the first whistleblower to expose the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS), revealed in 2016 that former President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered him and other members of the squad to execute criminals and political opponents in gangland-style killings that claimed more than 1,000 lives during Duterte’s long tenure as Davao City mayor.
‘I saw Duterte kill 8 times’ –Matobato
He named his superior, retired police officer Arturo Lascañas, as one of those involved in the death squad.
The Times report detailing Matobato’s departure stated that he left the Philippines with his wife and two stepchildren.
Former Senator Leila de Lima said in a TV interview that Matobato is now under the protective custody of the ICC.
“What I know is that he has already been contacted by the ICC and his testimony has been considered. The ICC has already talked with him and vetted him,” said De Lima when interviewed by ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo on Tuesday.
According to the Times’ article, Matobato had secretly moved to a Catholic church compound and was shielded by priests. Two Catholic priests then helped him escape from the Philippines.
“Mr. Matobato had managed to obtain a new identity with a new passport and a new job description: gardener. He practiced saying his new name, first, middle, and last, but the syllables came out funny, with a question mark hanging over them. His thick hair had been shaved, and he wore large glasses and a gray goatee,” said the Times article titled, “On the Run, a Hit Man Gives One Last Confession,” written by Hannah Beech.
The article added that the Filipino “immigration officer had no questions, and Mr. Matobato’s new passport received an exit stamp.”
He then boarded a plane to Dubai before transferring to another country.
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond when asked to confirm whether Matobato had indeed left the Philippines.
