Look back: Remember Arturo Lascañas?

Remember who Arturo Lascañas is? His name was mentioned several times during the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on July 21 and 22. In trying to establish a pattern of violence on the part of Sara Duterte, whom the prosecution is attempting to paint as someone unfit for public office, Matibag read out parts of Lascañas’ affidavit that was submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in October 2020. Lascañas’ 186-page affidavit is expected to be used by the Office of the Prosecutor in The Hague in its case of crimes against humanity against former president Rodrigo Duterte, father of the Vice President. (READ: The Lascañas Affidavit | ‘I killed for Duterte’) The exact whereabouts today of Lascañas — a known henchman of Duterte, and acknowledged as among the leaders of the notorious Davao Death Squad (DDS) — remain unknown. By now, the bald and stern-looking ex-Davao policeman would be in his mid-60s. In November 2021, he was granted limited immunity by the ICC. Latest word from Lascañas was heard in February 2024, when he gave a rare online press briefing where he hurled accusations against Sara Duterte, former Philippine National Police chief and now-Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and even Senator Bong Go. He claimed then that tokhang operations carried out in Davao in 2012-2013 bore the stamp of approval of the Duterte father-and-daughter duo, with the participation of the two officials. As Davao City mayor then, Sara Duterte was complicit in the brutal and bloody drug war that had been associated with the elder Duterte’s brand, Lascañas alleged. In our previously published story, we quoted from the affidavit: “Hindi lang niya alam ’yong ginagawa ng kanyang tatay na drug war, bogus drug war, nag-imbento talaga siya ng bagong trademark ng extrajudicial killings in the name of tokhang. At dito, pinayagan niya si (then-) police colonel Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa na i-impose ito sa Davao City.” (She did not only know about her father’s drug war, a bogus drug war, she really invented a new trademark of extrajudicial killings in the name of tokhang. And here, she allowed then-police colonel Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to impose it on Davao City.) Lascañas also said in his affidavit: “Ang dami pong namamatay dito (Davao City), ang daming nami-missing. Nag-imbestiga ba si Sara Duterte? Wala…” (Many people were killed here, many went missing. Did Sara Duterte investigate? None.) Sara Duterte denied the allegations, pointing out in 2024: “Besides the timing, it’s clear that they are forcibly linking my name to this issue to make me an accused before the ICC.” Lascañas resurfaced in 2024 as the alliance between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara, his 2022 running mate, crumbled. The former Davao policeman claimed that he was emboldened to emerge from hiding because Rodrigo Duterte was no longer in power and he had become an ICC witness against the former president. By his own admission in his affidavit, Lascañas did Duterte’s bidding out of blind loyalty. He lamented having lost two of his brothers with suspected links to illegal drug activities to the drug war. Alleged tips from Cayetano, Dela Rosa In a previously published story in 2021, we reported how, according to Lascañas, then-senator Alan Peter Cayetano and then-Philippine National Police chief Dela Rosa briefed and coached policemen tagged as DDS members. This was in preparation for the very first Senate probe into the controversial group of assassins in 2016 amid allegations made by whistleblower Edgar Matobato, a former DDS insider himself. The briefing was held in a conference hall near the official residence of the PNP chief in Camp Crame. Cayetano, who ran as vice president of Rodrigo Duterte in the presidential elections of 2016, allegedly instructed them to deny all accusations and stay loyal to the president at the time. In the same affidavit, Lascañas detailed how Cayetano reportedly reassured them that there was “nothing to worry about.” He also advised them to “just answer the questions in [a] polite manner and be respectful to the honorable senators.” The best defense, they were told, is “to deny always,” Lascañas said in his affidavit. When sought for comment via email and text back then, Cayetano was unresponsive. Dela Rosa, for his part, said the same thing about denials and added that there was nothing to worry about “for President RRD (Rodrigo Roa Duterte) will take care of everything.” Lascañas was also instructed to “neutralize anyone from our present and former civilian assets” whom he suspected would show signs of “sympathy” for Matobato. Loyalty to the president was of primary importance, Dela Rosa allegedly emphasized at the time. He also did not reply when sought for comment then. Lascañas previously denied disclosures and allegations made by Matobato. However, in a subsequent Senate hearing in 2017, Lascañas flipped and turned whistleblower, likewise confirming the existence of the DDS as first exposed by Matobato the year before. In the interest of the defense At Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, this flip-flop served the interest of the defense, which took pains to discredit both Lascañas and his affidavit, mentioning how he failed to provide consistent testimony when he appeared before the Senate. The defense also pointed out that the document was not notarized and that it was “highly improper” for Matibag to read portions of the affidavit during the impeachment trial. It remains to be seen whether or not reminding the public about the contents of the Lascañas affidavit will boost the case of the prosecution about Sara Duterte’s liability for issuing grave threats against President Marcos. Was it a wise or futile attempt to resurrect an almost forgotten document and testimony of a former DDS member and link these, no matter how feebly or indirectly, to the attempt to impeach Sara Duterte? To the prosecution perhaps, it is no different from the video recording of hers undeniably threatening President Marcos. But, this time, it’s the alleged link to tokhang and extrajudicial killings that’s now out there for the public to judge. – Rappler.com