In brief
The story reveals a chilling firsthand acknowledgment of systemic violence in the Philippines through the eyes of Edgar Matobato, a former hitman linked to Rodrigo Duterte.
Edgar Matobato, once a faithful member of a notorious death squad associated with former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, has surfaced from years of hiding to share his harrowing confessions. Matobato claims responsibility for multiple murders, detailing methods of execution that are as gruesome as they are varied—from strangling to using a .45-caliber Colt M1911 pistol.In a recent interview within the confines of his secluded refuge in the Philippines, Matobato painted a troubling portrait of his two decades on the wrong side of the law, revealing a past steeped in violence. “For almost 24 years, I killed and disposed of many bodies,” he told reporters, remorse echoing in his words as he admitted, “I am trying to remember, but I cannot remember everyone.”The former hitman's confessions serve not only as an indictment of his own actions but also implicate Duterte, who during Matobato's tenure as mayor of Davao City orchestrated a campaign of extrajudicial killings that escalated when he became president of the Philippines. Matobato, who initially disclosed these details a decade earlier, now fears for his life amidst a backdrop of ongoing violence and silence on the part of authorities.While recounting his most heinous acts, such as feeding a victim to a crocodile, Matobato reflects on a life marred by violence. Even in his recollections, there lurks a fragility—a recognition of the consequences of his actions that still haunt him today.Matobato's story is a reminder of the dark legacies of Duterte's administration and raises crucial questions about justice and accountability in a nation trying to rebuild from the scars of tyranny. As he prepares to testify, the world watches closely, hoping for a reckoning against the backdrop of systemic violence that remains unresolved in the Philippines.
