THE legal counsel of self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) hitman Edgardo Matobato is confident that their petition to transfer the venue for the hearing of the carrying of illegal firearms case will be granted by the Supreme Court.
Lawyer Jude Josue Sabio, in a text message, said Monday they trust that the high court will favor their plea.
"We are confident that the supreme court will grant the petition (as Matobato), one of the potential witnesses, will not be at a liberty to express his knowledge in a Davao Court due to fear," Sabio said.
Matobato has asked the Supreme Court's Office of the Court Administrator to transfer the venue of his trial from Davao City to Manila.
Matobato, through Sabio on Monday, asked the SC to transfer the trial of his case of Violation of Section 31 of Republic Act 10591 (Carrying a firearm outside of residence without the requisite permit to carry) outside Davao City.
Matobato, in a Senate inquiry last September, identified President Rodrigo Duterte as the mastermind behind the killings of the so-called DDS, a group of hired hit men tasked to kill criminals in Davao City.
"Wherefore, it is respectfully prayed that, in order to prevent a miscarriage of justice, the venue or place of trial, which is presently Davao City where the alleged crime has been committed...be transferred from Davao City to Manila," the petition stated.
Sabio said the scheduled arraignment of Matobato in Davao City on November 3 has raised serious alarm, considering that Matobato will have to be brought to Davao City, where Duterte served as mayor for more than 20 years.
"Matobato has no other recourse but to seek protection from the Honorable Supreme Court as a bulwark of democracy, truth and justice. Precisely for the needed security and protection that he could no longer secure from the Witness Protection Program and the Senate where he testified," the petition added.
Sabio said Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and his group can only provide security for Matobato in Manila.
"Thus, when the trial commences, it would be next to impossible for counsel to mount a defense for Matobato, because he may not be able to present Matobato as a witness for himself," the lawyer added.
Sabio added that certain personalities are now making arrangements for religious groups to provide sanctuary for Matobato should the SC dismiss the petition and the arraignment in Davao pushes through.
Matobato is currently in a safe house with his wife, under the personal protection of Trillanes.
Sabio said that on Wednesday the same petition will also be sent to the staff of the Davao City Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 3.
Matobato is enjoying his temporary freedom after Sabio filed worth P30,000 bail money last October 14 before Executive Judge Benito Fernandez of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court judge Bernelito Fernandez.
Presiding Judge of MTCC Branch 3 approved the petition to reduced bail from 60,000 to P30,000.
The arrest warrant with the fixed bail amount was issued after Matobato failed to appear at the hearing of his case last October 4, 2016.