“Hello, Raymond! Here in Europe, there are many protests against the arrest of the former president.” Mario, my friend, messaged me from Belgium.
The message stirred a memory buried deep within – a soul-stirring image of flags waving in unity. It was 1986, when the People Power Revolution (EDSA) unfolded, marking the “best of times” for the Philippines on the world stage. I recall reading an international paper about a handful of Filipinos receiving a pat on the back from a New York taxi driver. The world was watching, and for once, it was applauding.
People Power Revolution historic scenes
The People Power Revolution was a monumental event resonating globally, inspiring peaceful movements against oppressive regimes. Its concept of nonviolent resistance and mass mobilization became a blueprint for change in several countries.
In South Korea, the June Democratic Uprising in 1987 mirrored the EDSA approach, leading to the end of military rule and the establishment of democratic reforms. In Eastern Europe, the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia showcased the power of unity against authoritarianism. Indonesia’s Reformasi movement in 1998, which led to the resignation of President Suharto, drew inspiration from EDSA’s emphasis on collective action. Thailand’s, 1992 Black May protests against military rule echoed the principles of nonviolent resistance seen in the Philippines.
While no direct evidence links EDSA to the Tiananmen Square protests, the imagery of a lone man standing resolutely before a tank resonates with the iconic scenes of Filipino civilians kneeling in prayer before military tanks. Both became enduring global symbols of nonviolent resistance, epitomizing the courage that defined the wave of democratic movements during the transformative 1980s.
EDSA Revolution became a blueprint for several countries
Fast forward to today, and the question lingers: would the ongoing protests against the arrest of former President Duterte pay tribute to Filipinos on the world stage, much like EDSA did? Back then, the world tipped its hat to Filipino courage for ousting a dictator in a rare bloodless revolution. Now, as Duterte’s ICC trial looms on September 23, 2025, the stage is set for another chapter in Philippine history.
Picture the scene: the solemn ICC courtroom, its blue and white emblem prominently displayed. Judges sit elevated on the bench, embodying neutrality, while prosecutors and defense lawyers occupy separate rows below, flanked by legal assistants and advisors. Duterte sits in a glass-enclosed dock, his demeanor a storm of emotions – composure, anxiety, or defiance?
The star witness, Edgar Matobato, takes the stand. Seated before a microphone, he begins his testimony in his local dialect, recounting harrowing details of events allegedly orchestrated by Duterte.
(Content warning: The following abridged narrative, excerpted and condensed from Matobato’s 49-page testimony at the Senate hearing on September 15, 2016, may be deeply upsetting.)
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Ako si Edgar Matobato, nakatira sa Tamayong, Calinan, Davao City. Pinanganak ako June 11, 1959. Ang edad ko ngayon, 57.
1988. Umpisa ng pag-mayor ni Mayor Duterte, kinuha ako sa Cafgu, dinala ako sa Davao City at nagtatag kami ng grupo ng Lambada Boys. Pitong tao lang, one team. Ang trabaho namin ay pumatay.
1993. Dumami na kami. Kasama na namin ang mga rebel returnees at pulis. Binomba ang cathedral ng Davao City. Umorder naman si Mayor Duterte na massacre-in yung mga mosque ng mga Muslim. Hinati kami ng tatlo. Ako ang tumapon ng granada sa Bankerohan mosque. Naka-timing lang na walang simba.
2002. Kinidnap namin si Saly Macdom, foreigner. Dinala namin kay Artur Lascañas ang aming team leader sa DDS o Davao Death Squad. Dinala naming sa opisina ng PAOCTF, ang pinuno si Sir Dela Rosa. Dinala namin sa Ma-a quarry. Binigti muna. Kinuhaan ng damit, sinunog, tapos chinop-chop.
2010. Pinakidnap ni Mayor Duterte yung mga bodyguards ni Prospero Nograles. Apat. Dinala namin sa Island Garden City of Samal. Inisa-isa namin binigti, tapos nilagyan ang katawan ng hollow block, tapos biniyak iyong tiyan, tapos tinapon namin sa laot.
Sa Davao, ang operation naming pagpatay, palaging may baril. Nilalagyan ng .38 para may ebidensiya na lumaban. Ang isang pulis may reserba iyan na baril para kung merong mapatay.
Sa Davao City, nag-umpisa ang patayan since 1988 hanggang 2013. Siguro ang napatay namin mga isang libo mahigit.
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Matobato’s testimony paints a chilling picture of the Davao Death Squad’s operations, detailing acts of violence that spanned decades. His words are a stark reminder of the human cost of unchecked power.
Another star witness, Arturo Lascañas, steps forward with his 12-page Affidavit, revealing truths he once denied out of fear for his loved ones. His opening lines are a confession of regret and a commitment to accountability, shedding light on the inner workings of the Davao Death Squad and Duterte’s alleged role in its operations.
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I, Arturo Bariquit Lascañas, Filipino married, of age, a resident of Davao City, Philippines, after being duly sworn, hereby depose and state that:
1. I am a retired officer of the Philippine National Police (PNP). I retired in December 2016 with the rank of Senior Police Officer III (SPO3). Throughout my career in the police, I was stationed in Davao City.
2. I was one of those named by EDGAR MATOBATO when he testified before the Senate in September 2016. I was also one of those who was summoned to appear before the Senate in October 2016.
3. When I appeared before the Senate, I denied the accusation made by EDGAR MATOBATO about the extrajudicial killings in Davao City and the Davao Death Squad. I was forced to deny what MATOBATO said, even if most of it was true, because I was afraid for the safety and security of my loved ones in Davao City. The truth is that most of what MATOBATO told the Senate is true. It’s just that MATOBATO was only a foot soldier and had limited knowledge of what really happened because the operations were compartmentalized.
4. I am now ready to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth in this affidavit.
5. I was a major player in the group that came to be known as the Davao Death Squad or DDS. I was present when then MAYOR RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE of Davao City ordered the killing of numerous men and women, and gave us reward money after we executed them. I was responsible for the killing of many men and women, and at least one child, upon the instructions of MAYOR DUTERTE
6. I regret what I did and I know I have to answer for all my misdeeds before the people, the law, and before God.
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Jesus words are liberating: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)
Matobato and Lascañas have found freedom in telling the truth. Will Duterte find his liberation by doing the same? Only by speaking the whole truth and nothing but the truth at the ICC can he truly “come home” in God’s time. May he find the courage to do so.
As Filipinos, are we as proud now as we were during the People Power Revolution?
Content and editing put together in collaboration with Bing Microsoft AI-powered Co-pilot
Head photo courtesy of BBC, Unsplash, & Canva
Still photos courtesy of KAMISULAT, Reuters, Philstar, Working Class History, YouTube, DW, Inquirer, Rappler, Corona Todays, & Wikipedia
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