Edgar Matobato was born in 1959 in Davao City, Philippines. Raised in poverty and largely illiterate, he initially worked as a security guard. In 1988, he joined the "Heinous Crimes Unit," which later became associated with the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS). His role primarily involved disposing of bodies, often by dismembering them and burying the remains in locations like the "Laud quarry" or dumping them into the Davao River.

From 1988 to 2013, Matobato claimed involvement in approximately 50 killings as part of the DDS. He alleged that the squad targeted not only criminals but also businessmen, politicians, and journalists. In 2009, he stated that he began receiving orders to kill individuals who weren't criminals, including a directive to assassinate then-Commission on Human Rights chairwoman Leila de Lima.

In 2014, Matobato surrendered to the Commission on Human Rights and later applied for the Department of Justice's Witness Protection Program. However, he left the program in 2016, just before Rodrigo Duterte's presidential election victory. That same year, he testified before the Philippine Senate, detailing his experiences with the DDS and implicating Duterte in various killings.

Following his testimony, Matobato faced legal challenges, including an arrest in October 2016 for illegal possession of firearms and a non-bailable warrant in March 2017 related to a kidnapping case. He went into hiding with the assistance of Catholic priests. In January 2025, Matobato fled the Philippines using a fake passport, accompanied by his wife, stepchildren, and two priests. He is currently under the protection of the International Criminal Court, having provided a deposition regarding his experiences.