MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte killed a National Bureau of Investigation Agent (NBI) when he was a mayor of Davao City, according to a man claiming to have worked as an assassin for the tough-talking leader.

Edgar Matobato, a former militia man claiming to be a member of the Davao Death Squad, told a Senate panel hearing that his group had an encounter with an NBI agent surnamed Jamisola in 1993 which ended in a fatal gun battle.

Matobato said a certain Major Pabo had a gun battle with Jamisola, but the latter’s firing skills initially saved himself from being killed.

“Kalaunan naubusan siya ng bala, nakorner namin,” he said.

(He eventually ran out of ammunition and we cornered him.)

“Dumating siya (Duterte) buhay pa si Jamisola. Siya rin ang tumapos. Dalawang magazine ng Uzi, inubos niya. Si Jamisola na-overkill. Siguro mga 200 bullets ang tumama sa katawan ni Jamisola.

(Jamisola was still alive when Duterte arrived. It was Duterte who finished him, spending two Uzi magazines. It was overkill. I think Jamisola was hit with about 200 bullets.)

Matobato said it was at this point when the relationship between the local police and NBI office turned sour.

He said Duterte appeased the local NBI leadership by giving them favors.

“Hindi nagkakaso ang mga pulis, dahil inayos niya. Sinuportahan niya ang NBI, binigyan niya ng sasakyan, binigyan niya ng tao. Kung ano ang kailangan,” he said.

(No case was filed because Duterte fixed it. He supported the NBI. He gave cars, he employed more people. He gave everything they need.)

Reacting to Matobato’s allegations, Presidential Communications Office chief Martin Andanar said he believes the president is not capable of giving orders to kill people.

The Senate hearing is part of the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee's hearing on extra-judicial killings in the Duterte administration's war on drugs.