‘No evidence, no probe vs Lacson’

Opposition leader Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said yesterday the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee cannot investigate allegations that Sen. Panfilo Lacson has a multimillion-dollar deposit in several American banks unless the government’s evidence bears the signature of US Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Speaking at a forum at a Manila hotel, Pimentel said the Department of Justice has no case against Lacson even if the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed that he has deposits in three banks in the United States.

"Where is the report?" he asked. "How can you expect the Blue Ribbon Committee to act on the allegations when we haven’t seen yet a copy of the (DOJ’s) report (about Lacson’s account abroad)?"

Lacson has challenged the justice department to make public the FBI report alleging that he keeps multimillion-dollar deposits in several American banks, Pimentel added.

During a meeting with National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Reynaldo Wycoco last month, FBI officials confirmed the existence of Lacson’s banks accounts.

Ombudsman Aniano Desierto told The STAR yesterday his office is awaiting the NBI’s report on the alleged $1-million bank deposit of Lacson.

"It would be better if the Department of Justice through the NBI would conduct the preliminary investigation into the alleged million-dollar deposit of Lacson to lessen the (Ombudsman’s) workload," he said.

Desierto said his office will immediately file a case against Lacson before the Sandiganbayan after they receive a copy of the NBI report.

"Last year, I created a fact-finding committee to investigate the alleged dollar accounts of Lacson in the US," he said.

Desierto said the investigation was stopped because the NBI and military intelligence chief Col. Victor Corpus failed to submit their reports on Lacson’s alleged criminal activities.

"During the fact-finding investigation, we requested the NBI and Corpus to submit their reports to my office," he said. "But they did not do it. The NBI should give their report to us now."

Desierto said government prosecutors would have to determine if Lacson had illegally amassed wealth before they could charge him with plunder.

"It would be better if the DOJ will be the one to investigate," he said. "If they will submit the NBI’s investigation to us, we will just approve it and file the necessary case against the senator."

Desierto said he expects the NBI to inform them about their actions so government prosecutors would know what to do with the case of Lacson.

"They must also apprise us on these documents," he said,– Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jose Rodel Clapano