Reinstatement to PNP not guaranteed for Mancao

MANILA, Philippines – Becoming a state witness in the gruesome murders of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito will not guarantee an automatic reinstatement of former senior superintendent Cezar Mancao II to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina said Mancao will still undergo the process of applying for reinstatement.

“The burden of proof is with Mancao, he should prove that he can be reinstated,” said Espina. “The process is that Mancao will apply, then PNP leadership will consider whether or not he can be reinstated.”

Espina noted that the PNP will study first and see the requirements if Mancao is still within the parameters of possible reinstatement as police officer.

Mancao and fellow police officer former senior superintendent Michael Ray Aquino went absent without official leave (AWOL) and fled abroad in July 2001 following reports that they would be implicated in the Dacer-Corbito case and to the bloody siege in Malacañang last May 1, 2001.

Last week, Mancao returned to the country and indicated his intention to become a state witness in the controversial case. He is now under the protection of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Atty. Arnedo Valera, Mancao’s legal counsel, hinted that the former police officer is hoping to be reinstated in the police force.

According to Espina, AWOL is an offense punishable by dismissal from the service. He said the matter will be considered by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the PNP, through Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM) and the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM).

Espina said the age of Mancao, 47 years, will also be considered.

When asked if the case of Mancao is similar to that of Assistant Transport Secretary Reynaldo Berroya, Espina said the two cases were different.

He noted that Mancao is still among those charged for the murder of Dacer and Corbito until the Department of Justice approves his becoming a state witness.

Unearthing the motive

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the reinvestigation of the case would not only focus on identifying the brains but might also touch on the motive in the killing.

Gonzalez said he expects the motive to be determined in the second preliminary investigation because it is possible that Mancao is privy to this information.

The Justice secretary said former superintendent Glenn Dumlao, who is also expected to turn state witness, can help in establishing the motive as he might know information on documents reportedly in possession of Dacer that were believed to be a reason why he was killed.

“He (Dumlao) was tasked to pursue those documents. The testimonies of these two people could be linked to complete the picture since Mancao, for his part, was ordered to cover up after the burning of the bodies (of Dacer and Corbito),” he explained.

Gonzalez, however, stressed that he has not yet discussed these issues with either Mancao or Dumlao, who is still in the US pending extradition.

He said he prefers to await the arrival of Dumlao before a new panel of prosecutors led by Senior State Prosecutor Peter Ong officially begins the reinvestigation.

He also denied allegations of deposed President Joseph Estrada that the reopening of the case would be used by the Arroyo administration to prosecute him after he announced his possible presidential bid next year. – With Edu Punay