THE search for self-proclaimed Davao Death Squad (DDS) member Edgar Matobato is still on, despite being spotted in Makati City, Metro Manila, last month.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Southeastern Mindanao Director Arnold Rosales said the office earlier received reports on Matobato's presence in Makati City.
Rosales said the office here and the NBI Central office have deployed their agents to the city two weeks ago to verify the reports, but Matobato could not be found.
"We received information that he was in a high-end condominium in Makati City. We went to the city to check but it turned out negative, walang Matobato," Rosales said.
The NBI earlier created a task group to look for Matobato, who was reportedly hiding first in Pangasinan then Eastern Visayas, and now in Makati City. But the accused is still nowhere to be found.
The Panabo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued on March 27 a hold departure order against the accused as he faces trial for allegedly kidnapping a Turkish national a Salik Makdum last 2002.
Judge Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga of the RTC Branch 4 issued the hold departure following the issuance of the arrest warrant against the accused on the same case.
The RTC Branch 19 in Digos City has also earlier ordered the arrest of Matobato, who was found liable for frustrated murder against a retired adjudicator of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Abeto Salcedo Jr.
In October last year, Matobato surrendered to the national police headquarters in Quezon City after a local court in Davao City issued an arrest warrant for his repeated failure to appear on his scheduled arraignment for the charges on illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Facilitated by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Matobato was released on October 14, 2016, after he posted P30,000 bail. The NBI earlier coordinated with the office of the senator for assistance on the arrest of the accused, but the camp is no longer interested on the matter.