MANILA, Philippines — Former policeman Arthur Lascañas on Tuesday said that Sen. Panfilo Lacson should best understand his situation since the senator also left the country for his safety back in 2010.
"Sa lahat ng tao, si Senator Lacson dapat ang pinaka nakakaunawa sa aking kalagayan," Lascañas said in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement came after Sen. Panfilo Lacson questioned who spent for the trip and accommodations of Lascañas and his family in Singapore.
On Saturday, Lascañas left the country for Singapore which, according to Lacson, "is an expensive place to stay."
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In 2010, Lacson left the country to escape the "harassment" from the Department of Justice "upon the order of Malacañang" after he was charged for the murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbit, which he had repeatedly denied.
He was later declared a fugitive and his passport was cancelled over a warrant for his arrest in connection with the murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and Emmanuel Corbito in 2000. He has since been cleared by the courts.
READ: Lacson flees RP
In a statement on Tuesday, Lacson said that he understands Lascañas' decision and is not criticizing his decision to leave the country.
"Anybody who feels persecuted and physically threatened is entitled to make a personal decision on self-preservation," Lacson said.
Lacson said that if he asked who finance the trip and accommodation of Lascañas and his family, "it was in the context of of an obvious destabilization efforts against President Duterte."
Duterte allies have alleged that Lascañas and Edgar Matobato, who both claim to have been members of the Davao Death Squad, are part of a plot to discredit President Rodrigo Duterte. The DDS is supposedly a vigilante group that Duterte formed while Davao City mayor and that he directed to kill suspected criminals.
Duterte has dismissed the DDS allegations as a political move against him.