Aquino wants review of charges vs Lacson

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday called for a full review of the charges filed against Sen. Panfilo Lacson, especially after a primary witness claimed he was forced by the government to pin down the senator on the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

Mr. Aquino said he would like to know if there was “fair treatment” of Lacson following the claims of former police colonel Glenn Dumlao that he was forced by government prosecutors to pin down the senator during his appearances in court.

“I want the DOJ (Department of Justice) Secretary (Leila de Lima) to thresh out the truth,” he said.

Mr. Aquino stressed the need for a fair and speedy trial for Lacson, adding that his former Senate colleague would not be given special treatment under his administration.

De Lima, on the other hand, called on Dumlao to file charges against the prosecutors whom he accused of coercion.

“It’s a serious allegation which we don’t really appreciate... Our prosecutors are working very hard. I am challenging Mr. Dumlao to air out his accusations formally by filing a complaint or a sworn statement if he is indeed telling the truth and so that the fiscals involved would have the chance to answer them formally,” De Lima said.

Dumlao claimed government lawyers led by Assistant State Prosecutor Hazel Valdez had forced him to tag Lacson in the murders.

De Lima said Dumlao should “be more careful next time in issuing statements because they sometimes destroy credibility of our people through baseless allegations.”

But she admitted Dumlao’s claims came as a surprise to her, especially against Valdez.

De Lima said she summoned Valdez and the rest of the prosecution team yesterday and reviewed all the records of the case.

“There was nothing in the question and answer that showed he (Dumlao) was forced to admit the involvement of Sen. Lacson,” she said.

Valdez, for her part, denied Dumlao’s allegations.

“I already saw the affidavits and even the prepared question and answers for the court trial. They said that there was script but there was no such thing as that as alleged by Dumlao. There was no such thing that appeared that prosecution (was) coercing or telling Dumlao to pin down Lacson,” she said. — With Edu Punay