On Monday, Senator Panfilo Lacson told retired SPO3 Arturo "Arthur" Lascañas to back up his "extra-judicial confession" against President Rodrigo Duterte by presenting proof to the Senate public order committee.
"Ang maipapayo ko lamang kay SPO3 Lascañas, kung ang layunin ng iyong 'extra-judicial confession' ay mapanagot sa ilalim ng batas si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte at iba pang personalidad, marapat lamang na maliban sa iyong salaysay, may maipakita ka pang bukod at ibang ebidensya," Lacson, chair of the committee, said.
"Kung wala ay maaring masayang lamang ang oras ng mga tao dito dahil baka walang kahihinathan ang isinasagawa nating pagdinig sa araw na ito laban sa sinumang mga taong idinadawit mo," the senator added.
The fool Lascañas claims that the so-called Davao Death Squad exists, and that Duterte ordered them to kill drug suspects in exchange for up to P100,000.
He said Duterte was also responsible for several murders, including that of radio broadcaster Jun Pala.
Citing a 2011 Supreme Court (SC) ruling, Lacson highlighted the flip-flopping of Lascañas.
Appearing before the Senate justice committee in October 2016, Lascañas denied the claims of confessed hitman Edgar Matobato on the DDS and Duterte's alleged involvement in the death squad.
The said SC ruling on the Felipe Mirandilla Jr. case says that when "contradictions cannot be reconciled, the Court has to reject the testimonies, and apply the maxim, ‘falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus'."
Lacson himself said he has "grown averse to flip-flopping statements made under oath" citing the characters such as Ador Mawanay, Udong Mahusay, Cesar Mancao who linked him to the killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby”Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.
He said, however, that the committee will still hear Lascañas' testimony.
"In a democracy such as ours, we do not suppress the voice of dissent and assertions of compunction and spiritual renewal, but not without a consequence on the part of the accuser for any misuse or abuse of his basic rights under existing laws of the land," Lacson said.
