Alleged death squad member Lascañas a 'storyteller, siraulo' —Duterte

Former President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday dismissed the claims of Davao Death Squad (DDS) member Arturo Lascañas that Duterte had ordered him to kill criminals and his opponents.

Appearig before the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) hearing, Duterte branded Lascañas as a "storyteller" and a "crazy" person.

"Storyteller 'yan, sir. Siraulo," Duterte said during the continuation of QuadComm's inquiry into his administration's war on drugs.

The former leader was answering a question from Laguna Representative Dan Fernandez who, citing a news article, asked Duterte regarding Lascañas' claim that he killed 200 people under an alleged anti-crime unit in the Davao Police.

Lascañas also claimed that he took direct orders from Duterte on who to kill and how to dispose of the bodies, He also said he was tasked with eliminating hardened criminals, political opponents, and journalists.  

Lascañas reportedly claimed that he was "blindly loyal" to the cause and saw his work as a "form of public service."

Duterte, however, said Lascañas had a “hero complex.”

Fernandez also said Lascañas told of an incident where Duterte told him and others to dispose of a family, composed of an alleged criminal, his pregnant wife, and their four-year-old son.

The former president also denied this.

"Nagturo ho ako to augment my income sa police academy sa Davao city for about almost seven years… Wala akong tinuro na ganon sa kanila," Duterte said.

(I taught classes in order to augment my income at the police academy in Davao City for almost seven years… I didn't teach them anything like that.)

Meanwhile, asked about Lascañas calling him the "lord of all drug lords," Duterte said he would not have become president if was involved in such a thing.

A former Davao Senior Police Officer, Lascañas, in January, testified before the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is investigating Duterte for his brutal anti-drug campaign during his administration.

Planting evidence

Also during the hearing, Fernandez questioned Duterte if it was true that he had planted evidence during his time as a prosecutor.

Duterte initially denied this, calling the allegation "garbage" and noting that it was "illegal."

QuadComm then played a video taken in August 2016 where Duterte stated that they "planted evidence" and "arrested persons and released them."

Pressed, Duterte admitted that the video was authentic.

"Totoo 'yan," he said. "That was part of the strategy as a mayor and the leader of the law enforcement agencies."

(That's true. That was part of the strategy as mayor and the leader of the law enforcement agencies.)

Duterte previously told a Senate inquiry that he once had a death squad composed not of policemen but of "gangsters."  —KBK, GMA Integrated News