MANILA – Self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) hit man Arturo Lascañas has linked former President Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go to an alleged plan to kill former senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
In an article posted on Vera Files on Sunday, Lascañas stated in his affidavit to the International Criminal Court about the kill plot on Trillanes through a gruesome “accident.”
Lascañas claimed he was ordered by retired Police Master Sergeant Sonny Buenaventura to kill Trillanes around November 2016, allegedly upon the orders of Duterte.
“The plan was to smash – break into pieces the vehicle of Senator Trillanes using a 20-wheeler container truck. The killing would appear to be an ordinary vehicular accident with an extraordinary victim, an incumbent senator of the Republic of the Philippines,” Lascañas said.
Lascañas added that this plan was allegedly approved by Duterte a few days after it was shared by Buenaventura to the president, with an alleged guarantee of unlimited funding.
Lascañas also claimed that Go asked him over the phone about the logistical requirements and the timeline.
“I told Bong Go that Sonny Buenaventura and I will implement the ‘Oplan’ in 2017, after my compulsory retirement from the Philippine National Police. Bong Go even offered ‘intel’ information on Sen. Trillanes’ movement and vehicle route, and that President Duterte wanted the ‘Oplan’ to be implemented as soon as possible,” Lascañas said.
Lascañas further claimed that Go prepared a safe house “somewhere in Parañaque City and Las Piñas City” where he and his group could stay.
Lascañas, however, said he opted not to push through with the assassination attempt against Trillanes when he flew to Metro Manila in 2017 as he turned his back on Duterte.
“In January 2017, I flew to Manila not to carry out President Duterte’s engineered evil plan to assassinate then Sen. Trillanes, but to expose Duterte publicly,” Lascañas said.
Former President Duterte and Go have yet to issue a comment on Lascañas’ allegation as of press time./PN
