Former President Rodrigo Duterte has defiantly called upon President Bongbong Marcos Jr. to address drug accusations against him, all the while dismissively sidelining credible investigations into allegations involving his own family and close allies.
The outspoken ex-leader, who’s been grooming his daughter Sara for the presidency, has heightened his criticism of the Marcos administration.
Amidst this political showdown, the Philippine media has pivoted towards one of Duterte’s staunch accusers, former Davao Senior Police Officer Arturo “Arthur” Lascañas.
Lascañas, a key figure who has consistently challenged Duterte’s regime, has taken his allegations a step further, implicating Vice President Sara Duterte in orchestrating the controversial “Oplan Tokhang” during her tenure as mayor in 2012, GMA News reported.
Lascañas, allegedly a member of the original Davao Death Squad (DDS), emerged before the media following the conclusion of the pre-trial investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on alleged crimes against humanity under Duterte’s drug war.
Speaking from an undisclosed location overseas, Lascañas disclosed that he had submitted a comprehensive 186-page affidavit to the ICC.
According to him, the document contains crucial information about the alleged killings carried out by former President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as the involvement of his daughter, the current Vice President, in extrajudicial killings in Davao City.
“Siya nga ang pasimuno nitong Oplan Tokhang nung naka-upo siya as mayor nung 2012 in-appoint nya si Bato Dela Rosa as Chief of Police ng Davao City,” Lascañas boldly asserted, shedding light on Sara’s alleged role in the controversial operation during her mayoral stint.
Adding fuel to the fire, Lascañas claimed, “Sinabi sa akin ni Bato Dela Rosa na nag-craft sila ng panibago ngayong extra judicial killing na campaign against illegal drugs which is Toktok Hangnyo meaning Tokhang.”
He accused Dela Rosa of instructing to target individuals involved in illegal drugs, especially those using and selling shabu. Lascañas further alleged, “Kidnapin ninyo, ilubog ninyo ang target. Parang kaso missing person lang.”
When pressed about the number of extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims in Davao City, Lascañas provided a staggering estimate.
“Sa Laud Quarry lang po sa estimation ko lang, mayroon pong mga more or less 3,000. Pero ang total damage na napatay sa Davao City yung nakita at saka yung missing, more or less 10,000,” he claimed.
Lascañas clarified that these figures are distinct from the victims of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Alongside the affidavit, he submitted a notebook as evidence to the ICC containing information on alleged killings ordered by Duterte, implicating his daughter Sara, Davao Congressman Paolo ‘Pulong’ Duterte, and various anti-crime task forces in Davao City.
Sara Duterte has previously stated that she will only address accusations in a Philippine court, emphasizing that her connection to the DDS surfaced only after her election as vice president.
In a stern warning to President Marcos, Lascañas urged caution and advised against underestimating Rodrigo Duterte and the alleged involvement of Vice President Sara ‘Tambaloslos’ Duterte.
Simultaneously, he accused former President Duterte of running a shabu laboratory in Davao Region and amassing over 1,000 firearms.
Regarding the gun collection allegations, Duterte asserted, “Wala akong baril sa bahay na hindi rehistrado. Collectors item man yan, it’s allowed by law. How can you use it against me when the practice of giving a collectors license is allowed by law?”
In another twist, Lascañas implicated incumbent Senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go, a former aide during Duterte’s mayorship, as the ones issuing orders to the DDS.
Lascañas claimed that Go obtained personal data from a certain “Mr. De Guzman” at the Davao City Land Transportation Office, including details such as the target’s home address and type of vehicle.
In response, Bato dela Rosa dismissed the allegations, stating, “Pabayaan mo lang yan. Mag-allege lang siya nang mag-allege. Basta malinis ang konsensya ko. Bahala siya sa buhay niya.”
The Daily Netizen 