In brief
In an exclusive interview, Edgar Matobato, a hit man for a death squad linked to former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, shares troubling confessions of his violent past. Now in hiding, Matobato recalls his methodical approach to killing, including his favorite weapon, as he hopes to provide testimony about the atrocities he's witnessed and committed.
Edgar Matobato's tale is one of chilling admissions and a desperate quest for survival. Having spent almost 24 years as a hit man, he has accumulated a horrifying collection of experiences where he ended countless lives in Davao City, Philippines. Now, he takes refuge in an undisclosed location, wrestling with his memories and the weight of his actions. “I am trying to remember, but I cannot remember everyone,” Matobato reflects, recognizing the vast number of lives extinguished by his hand. The gun he favored was a .45-caliber Colt M1911, inside operation as he performed his gruesome deeds.His confessions don't stop at the gunfire; Matobato graphically describes different methods of execution, including string strangulation and even feeding a victim to a crocodile, although he admits this was a rare occurrence. "I’m sorry,” he states matter-of-factly, as if hoping for absolution after years of violence.Matobato has been in hiding since he publicly confessed to his crimes, primarily out of fear for his life following his revelations that Duterte, then mayor of Davao City and future president, was the orchestrator of the killings. This environment of fear and secrecy defines his present existence as he contemplates testifying against Duterte.With rain falling and mosquitoes buzzing in his makeshift shelter, Matobato's commitment to providing testimony against the atrocities he was a part of becomes even more urgent. His narrative offers a rare glimpse into the brutal reality of extrajudicial killings that engulfed the Philippines under Duterte’s regime, with Matobato standing at the center, a living, haunting testament to violence and its aftermath.
