THE legal counsel of self proclaimed Davao Death Squad hitman Edgar Matobato said they are now preparing for the re-filing of charges before the Ombudsman against the Davao Police members who allegedly tortured his client.
This developed as lawyer Jude Sabio also said that he has requested the office of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to assign a security person for him when he attends the arraignment of his client at the Hall of Justice in Davao City on Thursday.
Sabio, in an interview Wednesday with SunStar Davao, said that he is now assessing the recent medical results of Matobato in order to re-file the torture and other related cases at the Ombudsman.
“The examination is already finished. I am only waiting for the written report, and I will assess it to refile the torture and related cases at the Ombudsman against five Davao policemen especially Vicente Danao Jr., Arthur Lascanas and Reynante Medina,” Sabio said.
A medical team was tapped to re-examine the wounds that Matobato allegedly got when he was allegedly tortured last 2014.
“Kining medical team na among gikuha mao ang maka-determine na maong samad product sa torture (This medical team was tapped to determine if the wound was the result of the torture he experienced),” Sabio said.
The previous medico legal findings by the National Bureau of Investigation said that Matobato’s wound is not a product of torture but their camp does not believe it, as Matobato verbally testified that he was tortured and a part of his body was stabbed with a long barreled rifle.
Sabio said that he is set to file the charges next week or the following week, as he is still set to assess the psychological and physical exam of his client.
Sabio, meanwhile, implied he fears for his life thus the need to request for security from Trillanes.
"I have requested security from the camp of Senator Trillanes. I will not take any risk because I am already very exposed," Sabio said.
In the same interview, Sabio said that he will request the cancellation of the arraignment for the meantime due to the fact that the Supreme Court has not yet answered his request to transfer the venue of the hearing.
This request has been sent by Sabio before the high court last October 24.
"Precisely the reason why ipa-transfer gumikan sa danger sa iyang kinabuhi (Precisely the reason of transfer is because of the danger to his life)," Sabio said.
Sabio already made it clear that Matobato will not appear in court on Thursday.
Prosecutor Joy Largo, the prosecutor handling the case of Matobato in Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 3, in a separate media interview, said they were not advised to comment by the high court in line with the transfer of courts, but as expected they are set to comment on the request for cancellation of the legal counsel of Matobato in Thursday's hearing.
It can be recalled that Matobato was charged for R.A 10591 or Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act last 2014.