“There are many ways to kill,” the hit man explained. “A string between two sticks can strangle with a tug of the wrists. A butcher’s blade can slice into the heart.” Edgar Matobato confessed to feeding a man to a crocodile, but mostly he used his .45-caliber Colt M1911 pistol to end lives during his time with a death squad in Davao City, Philippines.
Sitting in his secret refuge during a rainstorm, Mr. Matobato recounted how he killed and disposed of bodies for almost 24 years, working for then-mayor Rodrigo Duterte. He admitted to killing over 50 people for Duterte, receiving a small salary and envelopes of cash for successful hits. After confessing his crimes, Mr. Matobato has been in hiding for a decade, fearing retribution.
Now living under a new name and working with animals, Mr. Matobato is waiting for the International Criminal Court to take him as a witness in its inquiry into Duterte’s alleged crimes against humanity. Despite his declining health, he is determined to see justice served.
Describing his time with the Davao Death Squad, Mr. Matobato detailed their code and methods, including dismembering and burying bodies at a quarry owned by a policeman. He recounted the gruesome process of body disposal and the macabre rituals the hit men engaged in, including eating flesh from a fresh corpse during a barbecue.
As he awaits his chance to testify against Duterte, Mr. Matobato remains resolute in his belief that the former president must be held accountable for the atrocities committed during his reign. Despite the horrors he inflicted, Mr. Matobato is willing to face the consequences of his actions, hoping that his testimony will lead to justice being served.