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Philippines President Duterte 'once killed man with Uzi' | Philippines President Duterte 'once killed man with Uzi' |
(35 minutes later) | |
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte allegedly once shot dead a justice department agent with an Uzi submachine gun while serving as mayor of Davao. | Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte allegedly once shot dead a justice department agent with an Uzi submachine gun while serving as mayor of Davao. |
The allegation was made by Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed former death squad member, before a Senate inquiry on extra-judicial killings. | The allegation was made by Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed former death squad member, before a Senate inquiry on extra-judicial killings. |
Mr Duterte, he alleged, ordered him and others to kill about 1,000 criminals or political rivals over a 25-year period. | Mr Duterte, he alleged, ordered him and others to kill about 1,000 criminals or political rivals over a 25-year period. |
A spokesman for Mr Duterte denied the allegations. | |
Presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said investigations into the president's time as mayor had gone nowhere. | Presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said investigations into the president's time as mayor had gone nowhere. |
Mr Matobato, 57, said he had been a member of the Davao Death Squad, a notorious vigilante group allegedly responsible for hundreds of killings. | Mr Matobato, 57, said he had been a member of the Davao Death Squad, a notorious vigilante group allegedly responsible for hundreds of killings. |
"Our job was to kill criminals like drug pushers, rapists, snatchers," he said. | "Our job was to kill criminals like drug pushers, rapists, snatchers," he said. |
But he also said that Mr Duterte's opponents had been targeted too, including four bodyguards of a local rival for mayor, Prospero Nograles. | But he also said that Mr Duterte's opponents had been targeted too, including four bodyguards of a local rival for mayor, Prospero Nograles. |
In 1993, he said his group had injured a justice department agent after a confrontation at a road block. | In 1993, he said his group had injured a justice department agent after a confrontation at a road block. |
"Mayor Duterte was the one who finished him off," he said. | "Mayor Duterte was the one who finished him off," he said. |
"Jamisola [the justice department official] was still alive when he [Duterte] arrived. He emptied two Uzi magazines on him." | "Jamisola [the justice department official] was still alive when he [Duterte] arrived. He emptied two Uzi magazines on him." |
Mosque attack | Mosque attack |
Victims would be shot or strangled, he said, with some disembowelled and dumped into the sea so fish could eat them, or in one case fed to a crocodile. | Victims would be shot or strangled, he said, with some disembowelled and dumped into the sea so fish could eat them, or in one case fed to a crocodile. |
He told the Senate panel he had gone from a witness protection programme into hiding when Mr Duterte became president, fearing for his life. | He told the Senate panel he had gone from a witness protection programme into hiding when Mr Duterte became president, fearing for his life. |
Mr Matobato also alleged Mr Duterte had ordered the bombing of a mosque in retaliation for an attack on Davao Cathedral in 1993. | Mr Matobato also alleged Mr Duterte had ordered the bombing of a mosque in retaliation for an attack on Davao Cathedral in 1993. |
On this claim, Mr Duterte's spokesman, Martin Andanar, said "I don't think he is capable of giving those orders." | On this claim, Mr Duterte's spokesman, Martin Andanar, said "I don't think he is capable of giving those orders." |
He said the country's Commission on Human Rights had failed to even prove the existence of the Davao Death Squad. | He said the country's Commission on Human Rights had failed to even prove the existence of the Davao Death Squad. |
Prospero Nograles' son Karlo, a Davao city representative, denied Mr Matobato's account relating to his father's bodyguards. | Prospero Nograles' son Karlo, a Davao city representative, denied Mr Matobato's account relating to his father's bodyguards. |
"I don't know what this guy is talking about," he wrote on Facebook. | "I don't know what this guy is talking about," he wrote on Facebook. |
"I can only suspect that this guy is being manipulated by some people to only serve their own selfish interests." | "I can only suspect that this guy is being manipulated by some people to only serve their own selfish interests." |
Clashes at inquiry | Clashes at inquiry |
The woman leading the Senate inquiry into extra-judicial killings, Leila de Lima, is a strong critic of Mr Duterte and has been accused by him of having links to the illegal drug trade, something she denies. | The woman leading the Senate inquiry into extra-judicial killings, Leila de Lima, is a strong critic of Mr Duterte and has been accused by him of having links to the illegal drug trade, something she denies. |
At one point, she and an ally of Mr Duterte, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, clashed with Mr Cayetano, questioning Mr Matobato's credibility and accusing him of being part of a plot to unseat the Philippines' president. | At one point, she and an ally of Mr Duterte, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, clashed with Mr Cayetano, questioning Mr Matobato's credibility and accusing him of being part of a plot to unseat the Philippines' president. |
Mr Duterte became mayor of Davao in 1988, and his tough stance saw crime rates plummet, an approach he has vowed to replicate at national level. | Mr Duterte became mayor of Davao in 1988, and his tough stance saw crime rates plummet, an approach he has vowed to replicate at national level. |
Since his election this year more than 3,000 drug users and dealers have been killed amid international alarm over human rights violations. | Since his election this year more than 3,000 drug users and dealers have been killed amid international alarm over human rights violations. |
But Mr Duterte has dismissed concerns over his drugs policies, calling UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "a fool" and referring to US President Barack Obama as a "son of a whore", something he later said he regretted. | But Mr Duterte has dismissed concerns over his drugs policies, calling UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "a fool" and referring to US President Barack Obama as a "son of a whore", something he later said he regretted. |