Sen. Robert Barbears, who heads the committee conducting the probe on Lacson, said Monday’s hearing would give way to evaluation of additional testimonies and pieces of evidence before senators come up with an evaluation of the case.
He said he would ask witnesses and resource persons to submit their documentary evidence to corroborate or disprove the allegations against Lacson in previous hearings.
Barbers denied reports that his committee rushed to end the Lacson investigation two weeks ago. "We still need to hear other charges," he said, referring to allegations of money laundering and kidnapping against the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.
As this developed, Lacson disclosed to mediamen yesterday an alleged plot by some people in government to link him to the 503 kilos of shabu seized from a town mayor in Quezon province last week.
Lacson said he received information from reliable sources in the police and the military that Panukulan, Quezon Mayor Ronnie Mitra was being forced to link him to the illegal drug shipment.
"They are trying very hard to drag my name again into the issue, to the extent of promising the mayor that he will get off the hook if he (presents) damning testimony against me," he said.
The senator, who used to head the PNP, said it would be "stupid" for his enemies to link him to the drug haul because the planning for the drug bust was done right inside his office.
He explained that the bust was a coordinated effort of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine Navy. "Representatives of these agencies even met in my office last Friday to discuss their plan," he said. "I told my staff to extend all support to them."
The 503 kilos of high-grade shabu, estimated to worth more than P1 billion, were be intercepted at a police checkpoint in Quezon Province on Oct. 13. It was loaded in 15 sacks and transported in an ambulance and a Hyundai Starex van driven by Mitra.
Probers believe the illegal drugs were smuggled into the country by a cargo plane with red star markings which reportedly dropped seven drums of undetermined cargo in Dinapigue, a coastal town in Isabela province.
The police arrested Mitra, his two security aides and a Chinese national during the bust. During interrogation, Mitra reportedly admitted that they were about to go to Quezon City to deliver the drugs. However, he had refused to put his admission in writing.
The suspects are now facing charges of drug trafficking, an offense punishable by death.
Lacson criticized some law enforcement officials for claiming credit for the bust. "You can include that in the list of outright lies because I know that the intelligence lead came from the US-DEA and was only followed up by the PNP Narcotics Group," he said.
He surmised that those wanting to link him to the drug shipment could be the ones who have been exposed and investigated for allegedly offering concessions to a suspected drug dealer. Without elaborating, he branded this latest attempt to implicate him for drug trafficking as "another desperate move" of his political foes.
Lacson is facing serious charges of involvement in illegal drugs. A former secret agent, Mary Ong alias "Rosebud," claimed that Lacson was behind the abduction and murder of several suspected drug lords when he was still with the PNP. The senator, however, has denied her claims.
Ong has accused the Senate of rushing its probe, and she threatened to march in the streets if she will not be given additional time to present evidence against Lacson.
Barbers, for his part, said the Senate could never be swayed by anybody into doing anything.
"Ms. Ong cannot just simply say that we did not give her the opportunity to speak. Almost from day one up to the last public hearing, the investigation was primarily centered on her," he said. "It even came to a point that witnesses from the opposing camp thought we were being biased."