DAVAO City–Edgar Mato-bato, the self-confessed hitman of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) who accused President Duterte of having been behind the DDS while he was mayor of this city, has asked the court here to recall and set aside the warrant of arrest issued Tuesday last week and to reinstate his bailbond so he can be released from the custody of the National Police.
Judge Silverio Mandalupe of Branch 3 of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities issued the warrant of arrest against Matobato on October 4 after he and his lawyer failed to attend the arraignment for the case filed against him in June 2014 for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Matobato, who testified on Sept. 15 and 22 before the Senate probe on extrajudicial killings, was at the Senate on Oct. 4 but left before he could confront or be confronted by police officers he implicated in the DDS who were summoned by the Senate.
Accompanied by Sen. Antonio Trillanes, Matobato surrendered to Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Friday morning after the warrant for his arrest was delivered Thursday night to Trillanes, who had protective custody over Matobato.
Matobato’s new lawyer, Jude Josue Sabio, sent his messenger to file with the court early morning of Oct. 6, Matobato’s “extremely urgent motion” to “set aside the order for issuance of arrest warrant and/or to recall arrest warrant and to reinstate bailbond.”
In his “extremely urgent manifestation” filed early Monday morning, Sabio reiterated the “extremely urgent motion” filed on Oct. 6 and said that considering Matobato’s surrender on Oct. 7, “in the interest of justice and as a matter of constitutional right,” an order be also issued by the court to PNP chief dela Rosa to release Matobato from PNP custody.
Trillanes had told reporters during Matobato’s surrender to dela Rosa that he would resume custody over Matobato once he is released from PNP custody.
Sabio said the case for illegal possession of firearms is bailable and bail is a matter of right. “I don’t see any case (filed against Matobato) which is non-bailable,” he said. (carolyn o. arguillas of mindanews)
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