Lacson: De Lima's sense of priorities misplaced

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Panfilo Lacson today said that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima should start looking for the real mastermind in the Dacer-Corbito twin murders instead of uncovering the identities of his coddlers.

"That is the fruit of the potion tree. The Court of Appeals has said that there is no probable case [to charge me with murder]. Why would [De Lima] insist on focusing where I stayed and who protected me," Lacson said in a radio interview.

He added: "For a secretary of justice to say that she will file charges against the coddlers seems out of line."

Lacson explained that since De Lima believes that he was holed up in a foreign country, the justice chief should realize that the country's laws has no jurisdiction over the citizens of other countries.

The senator said that De Lima should just dismiss the minor issues and stick to more important problems, which is looking for the real mastermind in the kidnapping and twin murders of publicist Salvado Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito ni November 2000.

"Her sense of priorities is wrong," he said.

Lacson had said that he has information on the possible mastermind in the twin murders and the possible motive. He, however, declined to name the person, saying he does not have enough evidence to corroborate the information.

He said that he would be willing to cooperate with the Department of Justice (DOJ) if ever the department would decide to reinvestigate the case. He, however, said that he will not lift a finger to help in the investigation if the DOJ and the Dacers would keep on harassing him.

Lacson fled the country in January 2010 before a Manila court judge issued a warrant for his arrest. Lacson has declined to name the people who helped him while he was in hiding.

Lacson also advised the prosecutors handling the case to stop listening to former police officer Cezar Mancao, who has been labeled by the Court of Appeals as "not a credible and trustworthy witness."

He said they should instead listen to former police officer Glenn Dumlao , who has admitted to having a direct participation in the twin murders. He added that up to this day, Dumlao is still a state witness in the case.

Dumlao has cleared Lacson from the charges.

Tracker teams should explain

In a separate radio interview, De Lima said that Lacson and the authorities who were ordered to look for the senator should explain how the legislator was able to travel without being caught.

De Lima said Lacson should come out clean on how he was able to move from one country to another despite having an arrest warrant for the gruesome crime.

"He should explain and also on the part of the authorities," De Lima said, reacting to the statements of the senator when he faced and answered the questions from the members of the media yesterday at a press conference at the Senate building in Pasay City.

She, however, said she has trust and confidence in the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) in its capacity to implement the warrant against Lacson.

"May tiwala ako kay Director (Magtanggol) Gatdula. Sa performance niya wala akong masabi kundi naging dynamic institution ang NBI under him," De Lima said.

Gatdula worked with Mancao and Dumlao under Lacson in the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force during the time of former president Joseph Estrada, who is also being linked to the killings.

De Lima said she has no reason to suspect that NBI operatives had not been looking for Lacson who immediately went underground after the warrant of arrest was issued.

Law vs injustices

Meanwhile, Lacson said during the radio interview that he has asked his staff at the Senate to start researching about the situation of inmates in the country's detention facilities.

Lacson said he is embarking on a new advocacy, which would focus on the injustices to people who have been jailed due to false accusations.

He said that he is planning on proposing a stiffer punishment against supposed witnesses whose false testimonies have sent several people to jail.

"Kung ano ang pananagutan ng kanyang inakusahan at ito ay false dapat iyon din ang karampatang parusa, hindi lang subordination of perjury. Kung life imprisonment ang inakusa, dapat life imprisonment din ang parusa," Lacson said.

He said law enforcement agents and even ordinary citizens, including "whistleblowers," should be covered by the measure.

Lacson said that he promised to himself that he would propose a law that would end injustices in the country once he is cleared from the charges.

"Itutuloy ko talaga ito. Panibo kong adhikain na pagtingin sa mga victims of injustice," he said. (With Dennis Carcamo)