DAVAO City Vice Mayor Paulo Duterte called the administrative and criminal case filed against him, his father President Rodrigo Duterte, Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa, and 25 others by self-proclaimed Davao Death Squad hitman Edgar Matobato as nothing but a piece of garbage.
Malacañan also brushed off the charges as maneuvers to harass the President and distract him from performing his mandate to serve the country.
Matobato filed criminal complaints against the two Dutertes, dela Rosa and 25 others at the Ombudsman, including murder, kidnapping and genocide.
While saying that Matobato was acting well within his rights to file such a case, as anyone in a democracy has that option if he or she feels that his or her rights has been violated, Vice Mayor Duterte reiterated that Matobato is lying.
"(L)et me reiterate my previous statement that the allegations made by Mr. Matobato against me are nothing but a product of the imagination of a madman," he said in a statement released to the media.
"A closer look at what was filed at the Ombudsman will easily allow us to see the only thing consistent in the Matobato tales --- lies."
Communications Assistant Secretary for Operations and Special Concerns Marie Banaag said that the prior cases filed against Duterte, in relation to Davao killings, did not prosper.
“The Ombudsman already terminated an earlier investigation on the Davao Death Squad case, which linked then Davao City Mayor Duterte,” she said.
Matobato, who claimed to be a member of the vigilante group Davao Death Squad, alleged that Duterte masterminded the killings in Davao City when he was the then city mayor.
Banaag acknowledged that the Ombudsman can investigate the alleged irregularities done by public officials but noted that it “cannot discipline or remove” Duterte since he is immune from any impeachment suit. (with Ruth Abbey Gita/Sunnex)