Ex-cop: I killed broadcaster on Rody’s order

MANILA, Philippines - Tired of incessant criticism when he was mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte took out a P3-million contract to kill broadcaster Jun Pala, and then gave a P1-million bonus when the deed was done.

This was the claim made yesterday by one of three policemen who allegedly carried out the still unsolved assassination in 2003, as he came out in public to insist that President Duterte set up death squads in his home city that were responsible for the summary execution of about 1,000 crime suspects.

“Consider the Jun Pala murder case solved. I was one of those who killed Jun Pala,” Arthur Lascañas said yesterday, four months after he faced a Senate inquiry and denied the existence of Davao death squads.

Malacañang dismissed Lascañas’ story as a “demolition job”
orchestrated by staunch Duterte critic Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who arranged yesterday’s press conference.

Flanked by members of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), Lascañas narrated: “The first time mayor Duterte sat as mayor of Davao City, we started what we call salvaging of people, criminal and drug suspects in Davao.”

“We implement the personal orders of Duterte… in all the killings we do in Davao City – whether burying them or throwing them at sea – we’re being paid by mayor Rodrigo Duterte,” Lascañas said.

In changing his version of events, Lascañas explained that he was bothered by his conscience.

Duterte in previous interviews had denied having Pala killed, but said the broadcaster deserved his fate and that some journalists invited assassination. The statement drew condemnation from media groups at the start of Duterte’s presidency.

Brothers, pregnant woman

In tears, Lascañas claimed he even had his two brothers killed for involvement in drugs.

Allegedly on Duterte’s order, Lascañas’ death squad also executed the suspected mastermind in the kidnapping of a certain Mrs. Abaca, who was freed after ransom was paid.

The kidnapping suspect, a certain Mr. Patasaja, was intercepted in his Ford Fiera in General Santos City. But he was with his wife, who was seven months pregnant; their son who was about five years old; the target’s 70-year-old father-in-law and two helpers, a man and a woman.

Lascañas said the five were brought to the Laud quarry in Davao City where Patasaja was taken to a separate structure for interrogation.

A certain Major Macasaet reportedly briefed Duterte about the case and returned later to the quarry with instructions to “erase all.” Lascañas said Duterte wanted the killing to be “clean.”

Lascañas claimed that he pleaded with his cohorts to spare the boy and take him to a bus station so he could get out of Davao. But Lascañas claimed his cohorts warned that the boy would remember their faces and would get back at them when he grew up and could no longer be recognized by the death squad members.

“Here, evil prevailed,” Lascañas said. A silenced .22-caliber pistol was used on the family and their helpers.

Blind obedience

Facing the media at the Senate in what he described as a “public confession,” Lascañas said he carried out the “salvagings” out of “blind obedience and loyalty” to Duterte.

Death squad members were also paid from P20,000 to P100,000 “depending on the status of the target,” he said.

He claimed he also received an allowance from Duterte’s office amounting to P100,000. It was not clear if this was a regular monthly payment.

Lascañas has just retired from the Philippine National Police with the rank of special police officer 4. He declined to take questions from reporters.

During the hearing conducted by the Senate committee on justice last year, he was described by self-confessed hitman Edgar Matobato as part of Duterte’s inner circle. Matobato claimed he received assassination instructions from Lascañas.

FLAG lawyers Arno Sanidad and Jose Ma. Diokno said Lascañas would tell all under oath in a proper government investigation. In the meantime, Lascañas will be given protection as his life may be in danger.

Take your time

Lascañas alleged that an “angry” Duterte put out the P3-million contract to kill Pala. Lascañas said he took the contract together with a certain SPO4 Sonny Buenaventura and SPO1 Jim Tan, who had many “players” or hitmen who are former communist rebels in his stable.

Pala survived two assassination attempts by the group. Lascañas said he apologized for the failed hits when he ran into Duterte at a shopping mall. But the mayor allegedly told him in the Visayan dialect, “Take your time. Don’t hurry.”

They were able to assassinate Pala outside his house with the help of the victim’s bodyguard, who they were able to turn into an informant for P350,000.

Lascañas sought forgiveness from the children of his two brothers whom he had ordered killed, saying it was the first time he had divulged his deeply held secret.

“I call on the PNP… killing is not the solution. This is against the law and against the law of God. We will be haunted by our conscience,” Lascañas said. “I may be killed but I’m now contented in fulfilling my promise to God in making this public confession.”

New EJK probe sought

During the afternoon session at the Senate, Trillanes sought a reinvestigation into extrajudicial killings.

Sens. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros in separate statements backed the reopening of the inquiry.

Hontiveros described the revelations as a direct stab at the credibility of Duterte, undermining his “moral capacity to lead.”

“They strengthen suspicions that the death squads responsible for thousands of unsolved extrajudicial killings are state sanctioned,” she said.

De Lima described Lascañas’ allegations as “hair-raising.”

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said while any senator may file a resolution for an investigation based on Lascañas’ claims, there is no assurance that it will push through.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Trillanes’ manifestation would be referred to the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, chaired by Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Sotto said the Senate justice committee, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, would also have to be informed of Trillanes’ manifestation.

Sanidad and Diokno said it would be up to members of the House of Representatives to decide whether or not to push for Duterte’s impeachment.

They said Lascañas’ statements and the affidavits he would issue in the coming weeks could be used by concerned government bodies to investigate Duterte.