Solon doubts testimony of Duterte’s ex-bodyguard during quad comm probe

MANILA, Philippines — House Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Mikaela “Mika” Suansing said she doubted the testimony of retired policeman Sanson “Sonny” Buenaventura during the chamber’s quad committee hearing.

Buenaventura, who was once bodyguard and driver to former President Rodrigo Duterte, appeared before the House of Representatives on Thursday in its latest hearing to probe the previous administration’s brutal war on drugs.

Suansing pressed him about the affidavit of self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) member Arturo Lascañas.

In a 2017 interview with the Inquirer and other media outlets, Lascañas said that the core group of the DDS included Buenaventura.

READ: Interview with confessed hitman Arturo Lascañas

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Buenaventura asserted that he was not closely affiliated with the president after he retired in December 2008.

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Lascañas’ affidavit, however, said Buenaventura was involved in transporting two female individuals to a safehouse belonging to a “Superman” in 2009.

He earlier confirmed that “Superman” was a name referring to Duterte.

The affidavit also alleged that Buenaventura ordered Lascañas to go to fellow police officer Ben Laud’s quarry, where seven construction workers were allegedly “neutralized.”

Buenaventura denied allegations against him and said, “Hindi niyo lang kilala si Lascañas (You just don’t know Lascañas).”

In response, Suansing said, “Babalikan ko lang po yung sinabi ni Congresswoman Jinky na handa po si Mr. Sonny Buenaventura na tumindig para protektahan si dating presidenteng Duterte.”

(I will go back to what Congresswoman Jinky said: that Mr. Sonny Buenaventura is ready to protect former President Duterte.)

“But for the record, Mr. Chair, I don’t believe that Mr. Sonny Buenaventura is no longer affiliated or connected to former president Duterte after December 2008,” she added.

Earlier in the hearing, Batangas 2nd congressional district Rep. Gerville “Jinky” Abanilla Reyes-Luistro said, “Having spent ten years of his police career with the President during the time as Mayor of Davao City, I wish to believe that he has given so much loyalty and dedication to the President, as proven by his recent answers.”

“He said if he needs to give up his life to save the President, he will do it. And if he needs to lie to save the President, he will lie,” Luistro added in Filipino.

Suansing then proceeded to ask Buenaventura if he knew the Laud quarry, said to be a “mass grave”, to which the retired cop said he only frequented the quarry’s “firing range.”

Then, on her question of whether a “Davao template” existed, Buenaventura denied the claim.

During the eighth quad comm hearing on Oct. 11, retired police colonel Royina Garma said that Duterte tapped National Police Commission commissioner Edilberto Leonardo to execute a “Davao template” as a national system to reward police officers for killing drug suspects.

READ: Garma: Duterte rewarded cops for ‘drug war’ kills 

When Suansing asked Buenaventura if he was willing to waive his bank secrecy to see if he himself benefitted from the alleged incentives system, he said his bank account was only for his family’s use and contained only around P4,000.

Suansing responded, “Mapapaisip ang ating komite: bakit ayaw mag-waive ng bank secrecy si Mr. Buenaventura? Mayroon po ba siyang itinatagong yaman sa kanyang bank account? Marami po bang siya nakuha mula sa sinasabing reward system? Mayroon po ba siyang mga nakuha na pera na labas sa kanyang sahod noong siya ay pulis?”

(Our committee will think: why won’t Mr. Buenaventura waive his bank secrecy? Is hiding wealth in his bank account? Did he get a lot from the supposed reward system? Did he get money outside of his salary when he was still a police officer?)

Buenaventura then said that he could show his passbook for the inquiry but that it was “left in Davao.”

Afterward, the Nueva Ecija 1st congressional district representativeproceeded to ask Buenaventura about Duterte’s ties with Chinese businessman Michael Yang.

She said that, according to Duterte, he and Yang had been close friends since the 1990s.

When asked if he had ever seen Duterte and Yang together, Buenaventura said he did not.

Suansing addressed the committee: “Mas nakikita ko po na nagsisinungaling na si Mr. Sonny Buenaventura, kahit yung napakasimpleng tanong na nakita niya ba na kasama ni Pangulong Duterte si Mr. Michael Yang.”

(I can see more clearly that Mr. Sonny Buenaventura is lying, even in a simple question as to whether he ever saw President Duterte with Mr. Michael Yang.)

“With the amount of time you two spent in two decades, you didn’t see him? Now, I’m more convinced that you’re lying,” she added in Filipino.

Buenaventura was said to be Duterte’s bodyguard-driver from 1988 to 2008, when the former president was still Mayor of Davao City.