Pimentel rejects Senate protection for Matobato

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III on Thursday denied the request to place confessed hit man Edgar Matobato under witness protection.

Pimentel said he intends to run the Senate based on rules and that there was no Senate rule to justify placing Matobato under protection.

"There's even no showing that his life or safety is threatened. Worse, the witness' testimony is not even relevant to the resolution being investigated," Pimentel said in a statement.

During the Senate committee on justice hearing on Thursday, Matobato claimed that President Rodrigo Duterte was behind the killings of suspected criminals in Davao City. The alleged hired gun also confessed to killing dozens as part of the Davao Death Squad.

READ: Death squad 'witness': Duterte ordered Davao kilings | Witness: Duterte ordered ambush vs De Lima | Duterte ordered to kill broadcaster Jun Pala, says De Lima's witness | ‘Death squad witness’ claims Duterte behind slay of Prospero Nograles aides

Matobato also claimed that Duterte gave an order to ambush Sen. Leila de Lima, who was investigating extrajudicial killings in 2009 during her term as Commission on Human Rights chairperson.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, meanwhile, said that the committee will question the rejection of Senate protection for Matobato.

"We have to make arrangements for the temporary security of the witness," Trillanes said in a telephone interview with ANC's "Headstart."

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