Lacson admits fleeing RP to escape Arroyo ‘harassment’

**jonski** · February 2nd, 2010 06:11 PM

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/183009/l...vil-conspiracy

Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson admitted fleeing the country for safety reasons in light of the double murder charges filed against him in connection with the nine-year-old Dacer-Corbito case.

"As I had correctly suspected, the harassment by the DOJ upon the order of Malacañang will never stop. That's exactly the reason why I left the country... For now, my concern is my own personal safety and security... I am not guilty but I cannot risk putting my life and security at the mercy of that evil conspiracy," Lacson said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Lacson, a staunch critic of the Arroyo administration, has been charged for double murder for the killings of veteran publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito on Nov. 24, 2000.

Lacson did not disclose his location, but Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan earlier in the day said the senator flew to Hong Kong last January 5, 2010.

Lacson, who has repeatedly denied involvement in the Dacer-Corbito case, said he was just a "victim of the conspiracy" between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and "her stooge" in the Department of Justice.

Political vendetta

The senator likewise said he would not give the Arroyo administration "the pleasure of seeing my life miserable and in danger." He added that the political vendetta against him stemmed from his exposés against President Arroyo and her husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike" Arroyo.

“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 Mrs. Arroyo against the Filipino people, where I played the leading role in exposing, are mostly the reasons why I am being harassed no end," Lacson said.

The Jose Pidal scandal referred to the alleged ill-gotten wealth of Mr. Arroyo hidden under the account of “Jose Pidal, while the ZTE controversy referred to the $329-million allegedly overpriced broadband deal the government entered into with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. where the First Gentleman allegedly received commissions in the deal.

The fertilizer scam, meanwhile, was the P728-million fund allotted for poor farmers but were purportedly diverted by former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc" Bolante to the campaign kitty of President Arroyo in the 2004 presidential elections.

Palace, DOJ brush accusations aside

In Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar laughed off Lacson’s accusations, saying the senator’s conspiracy claims are just “unsubstantiated allegations."

"There is no substantiation on his charges of conspiracy. If there were indeed instances of harassment, then he should bring these charges to the proper forum," he told GMANews.TV in a phone interview.

Olivar likewise challenged Lacson to reveal the real reason for his trip to Hong Kong."If he is indeed fleeing to Hong Kong, he must explain himself. He must explain himself to the public," he said.

For her part, Justice Sec. Agnes Devanadera denied harassing Lacson over the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, arguing that the filing of charges against Lacson went through due process.

"All I know is that a preliminary investigation was done and due process was accorded to Senator Lacson. He even gave his counter-affidavit," Devanadera told GMANews.TV in a separate phone interview.

She added that Lacson should show proof that the DOJ had committed violations in giving Lacson due process.

"Kaya ba namin (DOJ) mang-harass ng senador (Can the DOJ harass a
senator)?" Devanadera asked.- with Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMANews.TV

**chua_riwap** · March 21st, 2011 10:00 PM

lilitaw na si ping......ili-lift na yung manhunt sa kaniya......

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakin...-LacsonDe-Lima

DoJ to end manhunt for Lacson—De Lima

MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said they had no choice but to lift the manhunt for Senator Panfilo Lacson after the Court of Appeals had dismissed the appeal filed by the Office of the Solicitor General seeking a reversal of its earlier ruling clearing the senator for the death of the late publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito and nullifying the arrest warrant issued against him.

“If that is what is decreed in the resolution of the Court of Appeals, then I have no choice [because] that is a court of law…we need to respect that,” De Lima told reporters in an interview Monday at the Department of Justice (DoJ). She said she had yet to receive a copy of the resolution.

The appeals court’s 6th division, in a resolution promulgated March 18, said the nullifying of the arrest warrant against the senator is “deemed final and executory.”

“The nullification of the arrest warrants is hereby declared immediately executory. All the respondents, their agents, any peace officer or law enforcer or anybody acting on their behalf are permanently enjoined from enforcing and implementing the arrest warrants issued in Criminal Cases Nos. 10272905 and 10272906,” the appeals court said.

The Justice chief said that with the appeals court decision, only the high court can reinstate the arrest warrant.

De Lima said they still have to study their next course of action once they receive a copy of the resolution.

She added that she would also talk to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Magtanggol Gatdula about the possibility of also informing the International Police (Interpol) about the Court of Appeals decision.

Lacson has been included in the Interpol’s red notice after the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 issued a warrant for his arrest last year. With the red notice, he can also be arrested by the authorities in the country where he has been hiding.

“I think, before he can really come back, the Interpol red notice should be lifted, otherwise kahit saan siya makita puwede siyang ipahuli (wherever he’s sighted he can be arrested). I need to discuss that with Director Gatdula,” De Lima said.

On February 3, the appeals court cleared Lacson reversing the finding of probable cause of the Manila Court.

Probable cause is a reasonable belief that a person has committed a crime.

Lacson, through his counsel Alexander Poblador, in his petition before the appeals court said that the Manila court’s finding of probable cause was based solely on the Feb. 13, 2009, affidavit of former police officer Cesar Mancao.

Mancao, in his affidavit, said he had heard Michael Ray Aquino and Lacson while inside a vehicle discussing about a purported plan to “neutralize” Dacer.

Poblador said Mancao’s comment dated November 11, 2010, however, said that he only learned of the “sordid affair ex post facto (from after the action.)”

The lawyer said Mancao’s admission is consistent with the testimony of another prosecution witness Glenn Dumlao who attested that Mancao knew nothing about the plan.

The appeals court, in its decision, agreed with Poblador saying Mancao “is not a credible and trustworthy witness. Under oath he contradicted himself on material points. Inconsistencies and material contradiction affect the credibility of Cezar Mancao and the veracity of his statements.”

It added that the testimonies of Mancao showed “beyond a penumbra of doubt that extraneous factors or other persons may have influenced him.”

The appeals court also noted that the allegation of Dacer’s daughters Carina Dacer, Sabina Dacer-Reyes, Emily Dacer-Hungerford and Amparo Dacer-Henson that the senator masterminded the killing of their father because he had opposed his appointment to the Philippine National Police “is nothing but an inference or conjecture not supported by substantial evidence on record.”

Lacson has been hiding since the Manila court issued the warrant for his arrest in February 2010.

**Zeus** · March 26th, 2011 03:33 PM

Lumitaw na si sen. Lacson, na sa Cebu na

**baludoy** · March 26th, 2011 04:59 PM

talaga?

sino kayang kumupkop sa kanya dun? hindi kaya pamilya nung sikat at mayaman na cebuano clan na nagka-utang na loob kay lacson nang na-isalba niya iyong isang babaeng tagapag-mana nila sa kamay ng isang kfr group ilang taon na nakakalipas

**chua_riwap** · March 26th, 2011 05:41 PM

^ lumapag sa cebu aboard Cathay Pacific from HKG. Ibig sabihin, talagang nasa labas siya ng Pinas. Di naman binanggit kung saang bansa nagtago.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/03...mes-out-hiding

Lacson arrives in Cebu, comes out of hiding

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) - After more than a year in hiding, Sen. Panfilo Lacson finally arrived Saturday morning in the country after the Court of Appeals ruled that its decision lifting the warrant for his arrest is final.

In a report by radio dzMM’s David Oro, Lacson arrived on board Cathay Pacific flight CX 921 at the Mactan International Airport from Hong Kong.

Lacson’s arrival was also confirmed by Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police.

“Our policemen in the Police Regional Office VII in Cebu City has monitored that Sen. Panfilo Lacson indeed arrived on board a Cathay Pacific flight at 11:42 a.m.,” Cruz said.

Cruz said Lacson was met at the airport by a certain Almeda of the Bureau of Immigration.

“Aside from the information that Sen. Lacson has arrived in Mactan airport, no other information was relayed by our policemen in Mactan airport,” Cruz said.

He added, “He is still under the custody of the immigration official and I believe they have some procedures to undertake in the premises of Mactan airport”.

Cruz clarified that they are not privy to the procedures being implemented by the immigration official.

“If and when the procedure is finished, the senator is free to go wherever he pleases. There is no legal impediment, so to speak, to restrict his movement. We are just monitoring his movements. He has not requested security detail so I guess we will just have to wait and see,” he said.

Lacson went into hiding in January last year a month before the Manila Regional Trial Court issued the arrest warrant in connection with the November 2000 murder of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. The senator denied the charges and blamed political persecution by the former Arroyo government as a reason for his hiding.

Several sources claimed that the senator did not leave the country and was just hiding in the provinces since he disappeared.

Last October, Lacson’s colleagues in the Senate decided to close the fugitive senator's office since he had yet to report for work.

After the CA order, the National Bureau of Investigation said Lacson has been removed from the Red Notice List of Interpol.

Last Thursday, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said he received feelers that Lacson would soon surface after one of his staff asked him to re-open Lacson's office in the Senate.