Rappler Talk Investigative, Part 1: Edgar Matobato’s path to redemption

Rappler is releasing excerpts of a 2023 sit-down interview with Matobato, with fresh insights from Father Flavie Villanueva of Project Paghilom

MANILA, Philippines – Edgar Matobato, former assassin and member of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), turned witness in investigations into extrajudicial killings under former president Rodrigo Duterte. He has left the country and is reportedly safe.

In a sit-down interview in 2023, he said killers were exported to Manila to carry out the brutal killings. We are running excerpts of that interview conducted by investigative editor Chay Hofileña, who sat down with Father Flavie Villanueva of Project Paghilom on January 9. Villanueva had guided Matobato during the seven years that he was in hiding.

Matobato has confirmed the existence of the DDS and the killings, detailing his firsthand experience and involvement in some of them. According to him, there have been over a thousand killed in the drug war campaign both in Davao and Metro Manila. 

For security and safety reasons, the Matobato interview was not immediately aired. We are releasing that interview now with fresh insights from Villanueva. Watch the interview in two parts.

Watch part one on Wednesday, January 15, at 7 pm. – Rappler.com