AN AMBUSH survivor claimed Edgar Matobato, the self-confessed killer of the rumored Davao Death Squad (DDS) tried to kill him at around 5 p.m. of October 23, 2014.
Edith Caduaya, a veteran freelance Davao-based journalist, on her Facebook post said a retired regional adjudicator of the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board (Darab)-Davao, who survived an ambush in 2014, identified Matobato as the man who shot him several times.
In the post, Caduaya said lawyer Abeto Salcedo Jr. told her that he was shocked and speechless when he saw Matobato on television Thursday afternoon.
"I clearly remember his eyes, nose and mouth, every attributes, including his ball cap, he is the same person who tried to kill me on October 23, 2014," Salcedo was quoted.
Salcedo also told Caduaya that the ambush happened a day before he was to decide on a land dispute involving 700 hectares of land somewhere in Mindanao.
"I suspect that a top National Government official hired the killers because I do not want to give in to their request to award the land to a group of businessman, who was his client," Salcedo was quoted.
While watching the live Senate inquiry on the summary killings Thursday, Salcedo Jr. told the journalist that he didn't expect that the still unknown gunman who tried to kill him was the one on television.
Caduaya said during their interview, Salcedo narrated he was travelling from Darab aboard the pick-up truck of the department when he heard gunshots at the junction of Bonifacio St. and Barangay Aplaya in Digos City, Davao del Sur at around 5 p.m.
He was sitting on the front seat beside the driver aboard the DAR's service vehicle when they were hit by series of gunfire.
"Pagliko namo sa kanto Bonifacio, buto-buto na, nahunong among sakyanan nidagan na akong driver, this gunman nidoul sya sa ako-gipaspasan ko ug pusil, kay half open man ang passenger window sa front seat, gisulod niya iya kamot ug iya ko gipusil, naghhigda ko sa sulod sa sakyana, sigehan naku ug sipa ang portahan hangtud milagrong ana-abri ug nakadagan ko balik sa among opisina kay doul ra man mga 30 to 50 meters ra, maskin daghan na ko ug igo sa bala (When we were at the junction of Bonifacio, I heard series of gunfire, our vehicle stopped and my driver ran away, this gunman went to the car and fired shots at me because the window of the front seat was half open, he entered his hand and fired at me while I was lying inside, I kept kicking the door until it miraculously opened, I had gunshot wounds but I managed to run back to our office which is just about 30 or 50 meters away from the ambush site)," Salcedo was quoted saying.
Salcedo said he sustained six gunshot wounds, and three bullets are still inside his body one on his left knee, one in his large intestine, and the third bullet in his (non-functioning) spinal cord.
"I can clearly remember his face because he was so close to me, only the glass window divided us," Salcedo said in vernacular.
With the new development, Salcedo told Caduaya that he will confer with his lawyer to undertake the necessary action against Matobato.
Salcedo also said he was informed that the group who tried to kill him were gun for hire and his price was P400,000.
He retired from office last January. (KVC)