MANILA, Philippines – Senator Leila de Lima admonished a Davao City policeman for throwing an “insult” at her during the 5th Senate hearing into the spate of extrajudicial killings.

Davao City PO3 Enrique Ayao, one of the 16 police allegedly linked to the Davao Death Squad, alleged that a staff of De Lima approached him during the Commission on Human Rights’ public hearing into the extrajudicial killings in Davao City held on May 22, 2009.

Ayao indirectly accused then-CHR chairperson De Lima of wanting to settle the charges filed against him in exchange for a testimony against the DDS.

While he did not directly say De Lima offered such a deal to him, Ayao said it was questionable that the senator asked to meet with him in a discreet place.

“Nakakapagtaka sa discreet place, undisclosed place held ‘yung pag-uusap po,” he claimed. “Eh bakit nila ako lalapitan ng gano’n? Sinabi ko nga baka ma-co-compromise ang appeal ko diyan sa Napolcom kung makipag-usap ako sa kanila.”

(It’s suspicious that we had to meet in a discreet place. Why would they approach me like that? I even said that my appeal to Napolcom might be compromised if I speak with them.)

De Lima, however, denied there were irregularities. She asked Ayao about her staff who supposedly approached him but the latter said he could no longer recall the details.

“Sorry po ‘di ko kayo matandaan (I don’t remember you). I deny that,” De Lima said.

The committee spent at least an hour trying to squeeze out of Ayao what he truly meant with his insinuations against the senator. 

In the end, after the continuous questioning by senators, he only told De Lima: “Wala kayong kasalanan. At saka wala kayong ginawang masama.” (You’re innocent. You did not do anything wrong.)

But minutes after, in another exchange with De Lima, Ayao again hinted there were anomalies. This time, the senator did not take the inconsistencies and insinuations sitting down.

She was questioning Ayao, who allegedly belonged to the Davao Death Squad, about the cases filed against him.

Ayao said the Philippine National Police Legal Service already dismissed the administrative charges against him – grave misconduct and violation of police operation procedures.

He, however, still has a pending case before the Ombudsman for alleged perjury and bribery.

“Ang pending na lang ay ‘yung sa Ombudsman (The only one pending is the case before the Ombudsman)?” De Lima asked Ayao.

Instead of confirming, Ayao interjected: “Sana’y tulungan ‘nyo ako (I hope you’ll help me).”

A visibly irked De Lima admonished him: “Insult po ba ‘yan (Is that an insult)? I take it as an insult.”

Even before Ayao could finish his apology, De Lima warned him to stop such antics.

“So stop it! Ang lalakas ng loob ‘nyo ha (The nerve)! Don’t ever do that again,” she said, ending her interpellation.

Witness Edgar Matobato, self-confessed hitman of the DDS, alleged that Ayao killed Davao-based journalist Jun Pala in 2003 upon the orders of then-Davao City mayor and now president Rodrigo Duterte.

Ayao denied it, claiming the murdered journalist was his “friend.” – Rappler.com