By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© 2009 Journal Group Link International)

Mancao’s U.S. Lawyer Tells Senator Lacson: “Face the Charges, No One is Above the Law”

C HICAGO, Illinois (JGLi) – Cezar O. Mancao’s United States-based lawyer urged Friday (Feb. 5) Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson to return to the Philippines, to “face and answer the murder charges against him and not run away from” them.

In an email furnished to this reporter, Arnedo S. Valera said the inclusion by the court of Senator Lacson as defendant in the double murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and Dacer’s driver, Emmanuel Corbito, “is good for our justice system and to the families of Dacer and Corbito.

“For years, these heinous crimes were never solved like many of extra-judicial killings in the Philippines.”

Atty. Valera said, “while the timing of the issuance of warrant of arrest is suspect because of the upcoming presidential elections, where the issuance of the warrant should have been done earlier to avoid any impression that they are using the Dacer-Corbito to score (points) politically, this is good for truth and justice.”

Mr. Valera added, “Sen. Lacson is presumed innocent. But this warrant of arrest should be served to him and he should face his accusers as a senator and as a former officer of the military who graduated from a distinguished Philippine Military Academy. No one is above the law whether you are a senator or even the President of your country.”

Senator Lacson anticipated the issuance of his warrant of arrest by leaving the Philippines exactly a month ago to the day Friday, saying that he did not want to be “a victim of an evil conspiracy of whispers between Ms. Arroyo and her stooge in the DoJ (Department of Justice).”

Mr. Lacson was quoted as saying that Malacañang was “harassing” him because of his exposes against the Arroyo administration—“from the Jose Pidal scandal, ‘jueteng’ payola, ‘Hello Garci’ election cheating controversy, to the ZTE and fertilizer scam and many more abuses committed by Mr. and Ms. Arroyo against the Filipino people …”

Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Myra Garcia Fernandez issued Friday (Feb. 5) a warrant for the arrest of Lacson, who left the Philippines on Jan. 5th for Hong Kong.

Senator Lacson was charged in court following the complaint filed by Dacer’s children, who used the testimony of Cezar O. Mancao in court to include Lacson in the twin murders.

Former Philippine police colonel Mancao and his fellow officer Dumlao have now been discharged from the case as state witnesses. Their testimonies will be considered by the Manila regional trial court if they could be used against Senator Lacson.

Mr. Mancao said in his affidavit that he heard then General Lacson suggest to his superior officer, Michael Ray B. Aquino, to go after Dacer and retired chief superintendent Reynaldo Berroya at the same time, saying “pagsabayin niyo na” (Do it simultaneously).

Mr. Lacson made the suggestion after Aquino allegedly told him, “Sir, unahin na natin si Delta (Dacer). Naiirita na si Bigote sa kanya.” (Sir, let’s finish Delta --or Dacer-- first.” Bigote (“Mustached,” purportedly referred to former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada). “He is now irritated at him.” General Lacson allegedly interpreted this that Aquino was taking orders from Mr. Estrada.

Former President Estrada had denied having anything to do with the murders.

More than a dozen of police officers and civilians, who allegedly carried out the kidnapping and murders of Dacer and Corbito in November 2000 in the Philippines, were named defendants in the celebrated case. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net) # # #

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