Ex-security aide says Duterte was 'Superman', denies knowledge of DDS

A former close-in security aide of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday confirmed that he went by the codename "Superman" but denied knowing about the former Davao City mayor leading the Davao Death Squad that allegedly killed criminals in the city.

In his testimony before the House QuadComm, retired policeman Sonny Buenaventura denied retired police Colonel Royina Garma's sworn statement which said he was in charge of payments for the killings of suspected criminals when Duterte was mayor.

Asked by Batangas Rep. Jinky Luistro who Superman was, Buenaventura said, “’Yun ang call sign ni Mayor nung may radyo pa kami. Superman.”

(That was the call sign of the Mayor when we used our radio. Superman.)

On whether he was aware that the DDS called Duterte Superman, Buenaventura said, "I do not know, Ma'am."

"Sa amin lang iyon. Iyon ang call sign niya sa radio,” Buenaventura said.

(That was just among us. That was his radio call sign.)

“Narinig ko lang ‘yan, Maam. Ang nagbigay ng pangalan ay media,” he added, referring to the DDS.

(I just heard about it, Ma'am. The name was coined by the media.) 

Former Senator Leila de Lima, who led an investigation on the DDS when she was the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, earlier told the QuadComm that the DDS members called Duterte "Superman."

Confessed DDS hitman Arturo Lascañas, in his affidavit submitted to the International Criminal Court, also said that Duterte’s codename among DDS is Superman.

Also on Thursday, Buenaventura denied retired police Colonel Royina Garma’s testimony that he was the one who made the payoffs for killing suspected criminals in Davao city during Mayor Duterte’s tenure.

“Ayon sa affidavit niya, nakatanggap siya ng pera mula sa akin at sa dalawa pang tao na binanggit niya bilang reward money para sa EJK (extra-judicial killings) na nangyayari dito sa ating bansa. Hindi po totoo,” Buenaventura said.

(Based on her affidavit, she received money from me as reward for extra-judicial killings. That is not true.)

“Inakusahan niya ako na nagbibigay ng reward money for EJK para ilihis lang ang imbestigasyon laban sa kanya. At upang maging mas kapani-paniwala, sinabi niya na siya ay nakatanggap ng tatlong beses mula sa akin na reward money para sa EJK,” he added.

(She accused me of giving rewards for EJK to divert the investigation against her. And to make it more believable, she said she received money from me three times.) —NB, GMA Integrated News