DFA: No travel papers under Matobato’s name

Following reports that confessed hit man Edgar Matobato was able to leave the country under another name, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday that so far, it has not found any passport and biometric information under his name.

But it assured the public that it would immediately flag any new passport application filed by Matobato.

“Any application under a new or assumed identity will be flagged by the system, and a Philippine passport will not be issued, if there is already an existing record and biometrics in the database,” the DFA said in a statement.

“Fraudulent application for passport is a serious offense punishable under the passport law. The DFA will continue to investigate the matter, and if warranted, refer the matter to law enforcement agencies and relevant authorities for further investigation,” it added.

In a Jan. 5, 2025, article, the New York Times reported that Matobato left the country at the start of the year. He was able to obtain a new identity, passport and job as a gardener.

BI probe

In reaction, Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval said they would be conducting an investigation based on the information in the story.

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Former Sen. Leila de Lima, in a previous radio interview, also said that Matobato had left the country and was under the protection of the International Criminal Court, which was investigating former President Rodrigo Duterte for his war on drugs.

Matobato had claimed that he was a member of the so-called Davao Death Squad, a group of alleged hired killers under Duterte, then Davao City mayor.

He was among the lead witnesses in the investigations on the extrajudicial killings in Davao City and the first to go public about the killings allegedly ordered by Duterte.