De Lima Releases Cops' Names Involved In Alleged Davao Death Squad

The names of police officers in Davao City who are allegedly members of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), were revealed on Tuesday by Senator Leila De Lima.

This, after Edgar Matobato, a confessed hitman, tagged President Rodrigo Duterte as the one who ordered the killings of suspected criminals and terrorists in Davao City, and testified before the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights last Thursday, about members of the DDS, the vigilante group blamed for unexplained killings.

In her privilege speech at the Senate on Tuesday, De Lima asked, “Mr. President may mga binanggit na pong mga opisyal ng kapulisan ang ating witness. Nasaan na po ang mga opisyal na ito ngayon? Masarap pa ba ang kanilang tulog sa kabila ng mga binitawang testimonya ni Edgar Matobato? Kung nakakatulog pa sila, marahil sila ay inosente. Pero papaano kung sila ay hindi inosente?”

“Nagtutugma po ang ilang mga kuwento sa kuwento ng ating witness na si Edgar Matobato. Katunayan noong 2009, may mga pangalan nang mga opisyales ng Davao City Police ang lumabas na mga miyembro ng DDS sa heinous crime section ng DCPO (Davao City Police Office) mga pangalan na binanggit na rin ni Matobato sa kanyang testimonya,” De Lima said.

Below appears the list of names of officials allegedly involved in DDS:
SPO4 Arthur Lascanas
Police Chief Inspector Jacy Jay Franca
Police Chief Inspector Ronald Lao
SPO3 Jim Tan
SPO4 Samson "Sonny" Buenaventura
SPO1 Reynante Medina
SPO1 Bienvenvenido Furog
SPO1 Vivencio Jun Junawan
SPO2 Enrique Jun Delos Reyes Ayao
SPO3 Jun Laresma
SPO2 Rizalino "Bobong" Aquino
SPO3 Donito "Pogi" Ubales
SPO1 Jun Bisnar
SPO1 Gaston Aquino
Police Senior Superindent Isidero "Dick" Florivel/Florobel
Police Senior Superintendent Rey Capote
Police Senior Superintendent Tony Rivera
Police Senior Superintendent Dionisio Abude
Bienvenido Laud
Alvin Laud
Roly Engalia
Arnold Ochavez

Upon revealing such names, De Lima urged the alleged DDS members to come out and clear their names, as she insisted that Matobato has a basis on his testimony unlike Duterte’s drug matrix which she claimed was announced without any evidence.

She believed that there is a group of serial killers and mass murderers right within the ranks of the organization which is supposed to protect and serve the people.

“Malakas pong ebidensya sa mga testimonya ni Edgar Matobato. Hindi ito katulad ng drug matrix na nailabas ng Pangulo na walang gustong umamin sa NBI, PNP, o PDEA kung kanino galing sa kanila ang mga impormasyon na laman nito. Kung ang pamantayan ng ebidensya ni Senator Cayetano ay katulad ng drug matrix ni Pangulo na parang dindrawing ng isang dose anyos na bata, di hamak na lampas lampas naman ang testimonya ni Matobato sa pang-dose anyos na standard ng kanyang mahal na Pangulo,” De Lima said.

“Kung minsan po talaga, ang pinakamahirap gisingin ay ang mga nagpapanggap na tulog,” she added.

In 2009, the process of vetting witnesses on the DDS case already started when De Lima was a Commission on Human Rights chair but alleged DDS members failed to testify fearing for their lives.

De Lima recently conducted a Senate inquiry, following the rise on the number of drug-related killings under the present administration, however, she was ousted as the Senate panel chair on Monday.

Source: Philippine Star