Son of Davao Death Squad victim pins hope on Lascañas for justice

With the confession of retired policeman Arthur Lascañas regarding the Davao Death Squad (DDS), the family of Gaudencio "Jun" Bersabal, a victim of the alleged vigilante group, is hoping that justice will finally be served for his 1997 killing.

A report by GMA News' Maki Pulido on "Balita Pilipinas" on Wednesday said Lascañas, a former Davao City policeman, has claimed that Bersabal was among those killed by the DDS, a group linked to former Davao City Mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte.

The report quoted Bersabal's son, Jomar, who was nine years old when his father was killed, as saying that he had to be confined at a mental hospital for two months due to shock after hearing the detailed testimony of Edgar Matobato, the self-confessed hitman who bared the existence of DDS, in the Senate.

He said after learning about how his father was abducted and killed from Matobato, he had trouble sleeping and eating.

The report said the Bersabal family has been seeking for justice for close to 20 years now.

Meanwhile, Bernardino Guerio of Remnants of God who is helping the Bersabal family still keeps the documents that contain information on the Jun Bersabal's death, including the autopsy report which said a bullet hit the victim's left occipital region and that his body had ligature marks and concussions.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Davao City said they already investigated the policemen who were allegedly involved in the killing. Aside from Lascañas and Matobato, these were SPO4 Fulgencio Pabo, SPO3 Gerry Bagohin, SP01 Stephen Abella, SP02 Ruben Laguesma and Insp. Rommil Mitra.

Based on the records of CHR Davao, Jun Bersabal was arrested in 1997 in Kaputian, Samal. The next day, he escaped but was later found dead in Pantukan, Davao del Norte.

Moreover, the CHR said it was not able to recommend filing of murder charges against the policemen due to lack of evidence.

On Monday, Lascañas admitted to once being part of the DDS, saying Duterte paid up to P100,000 for each drug suspect killed.

Lascañas even claimed killing an entire family in General Santos City and that he was hired by Duterte to assassinate radio broadcaster Jun Pala in 2003.

Lascañas testified before the Senate inquiry in October last year on the alleged extrajudicial killings in Davao City, and denied the claim of Matobato that the DDS exists. He said the DDS was just a “media hype.” —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News