Edgar Matobato, the self-confessed hitman of the supposed Davao Death Squad, is now under the protective custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and is helping its investigation into the bloody drug war of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

This was the information obtained by former senator Leila de Lima, she said in an interview on TeleRadyo Serbisyo's "Kabayan" on Tuesday (January 7), echoing earlier statements of Matobato to the New York Times.

According to de Lima, Matobato left the Philippines "under an assumed name" and is now in the custody of the ICC after his testimony was vetted by the tribunal.

"Ang alam ko po ay na-contact na rin siya ng ICC at kinonsider na rin 'yung kaniyang testimonya. Kinausap na rin siya ng ICC, vinet na rin siya ng ICC.

"Lumabas na siya, nakalabas na sa Pilipinas, at alam ko ay under the protective custody na rin ng ICC... Ang alam ko, base sa aking impormasyon, ay nakuha na rin siya kasi na-vet na siya, na-interview na siya," she said.

Malacanang meanwhile said that it has no information whether Matobato has indeed fled the country after almost a decade in hiding.

"Wala kaming masabi diyan, dahil we have no connection with Mister Matobato," Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday.

Matobato had earlier told the New York Times in an interview that he left the Philippines with his wife and two stepchildren using a fake identity.

Bersamin said that the Palace cannot control his decision to leave the country or testify in another forum.

"Whatever his purpose in going out, we cannot control that. But, if he intends to go to testify in another forum, that's also beyond our control," the high-ranking Malacanang official said.

"Hindi namin siya ini-encourage, hindi din namin siya dini-discourage." — with a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News