Lacson in Malaysia, set to return?

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Fugitive Sen. Panfilo Lacson is reportedly in Malaysia preparing to return home next week, just days after his Senate colleague, now president-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, is sworn into office.

A source said Lacson is just waiting for the presidential inauguration to go home through the country’s backdoor.

The source claimed Lacson did a lot of traveling since he escaped last January.

The senator stayed longest in China before proceeding to Italy and Switzerland before going to Malaysia.

Lacson was said to be have been spotted in Hong Kong last January just weeks after escaping.

“Aquino and Lacson are allies. And there is a group within the group of president-elect Aquino that is now facilitating the return of Lacson to the country,” the source said.

“And they want him to return to the country soon now that Aquino is already in power,” the source added.

With Aquino as President, Lacson can now be assured he would be given fair treatment over his case.

Lacson left the country last Jan. 5, just days before the Manila Regional Trial Court issued the arrest warrant charging him as the principal accused in the murders of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.

Lacson later released a statement admitting his escape from the country to avoid what he called political harassment by the Arroyo administration.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has been tasked to arrest Lacson and tapped the Interpol community in locating the senator for immediate deportation.

His former subordinates in the police service have tagged Lacson as among those who allegedly ordered the killing of Dacer and Corbito.

Lacson served as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and concurrent chief of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, the same unit accused of carrying out the murders of Dacer and Corbito.