MANILA, Philippines – Edgar Matobato, the confessed hitman of former President Rodrigo Duterte, said he “felt free for the first time in decades.”

In an interview with The New York Times, Matobato stated that Superman’s men could no longer come after him. Superman, in this case, refers to Duterte.

Matobato had been in hiding for a decade since confessing to his crimes and revealing that Duterte ordered the killings.

“For almost 24 years, I killed and disposed of many bodies,” Matobato said in the interview, adding that “there are many ways to kill.”

He acknowledged that breaking his silence about the Davao Death Squad (DDS) would endanger his life. However, priests and politicians provided him with sanctuary, hoping his confessions might one day hold his former boss accountable.

In the interview, Matobato admitted to killing about 50 people using his “trusted weapon, a .45 caliber Colt M1911 pistol.”

The confessed hitman said he is prepared to face his crimes before the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, he emphasized that “Duterte must be punished by the court and by God,” expressing hope that his confession would eventually lead to the former president’s imprisonment.

Matobato, along with his wife and two stepchildren, has fled the Philippines and is now in an undisclosed country, waiting for his turn to speak about his crimes.

With new identities and a new look, Matobato and his family were able to leave the country, accompanied by two Catholic priests who facilitated his long escape.

📷 Contributed photo