Mancao links Michael Ray to Dacer-Corbito murders

MANILA, Philippines - Former police senior superintendent Cezar Mancao yesterday positively identified former police senior superintendent Michael Ray Aquino as one of those behind the November 2000  killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito.

In his testimony at the start of his trial for two counts of murder before Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18 Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina yesterday, Mancao said Aquino is the “famed Michael Ray Aquino.”

Aquino is an official of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), which was then headed by former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Panfilo Lacson.

 Aquino, who was extradited from the United States, had pleaded not guilty to murder charges before the Manila RTC during his arraignment in August.

Aquino’s legal counsel Napoleon Poblador said he began his cross-examination on Mancao during the closed-door hearing.

“I believe there is no need to extensively cross-examine him because the Court of Appeals had previously declared Mancao is not a credible witness due to previous flip-flopping and inconsistent statements. I was surprised when he said he was not aware of the existing CA decision,” said Poblador.

He said Mancao’s pronouncements were also “unbelievable” and “incredible.”

Poblador claimed Department of Justice lawyers “actively and vigorously” protected Mancao during the hearing by giving him legal advice and objecting to the questions raised during the cross-examination.  

Mancao remains under the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program.

Poblador said he hopes the court will look at Dumlao’s testimony in the same way the CA scrutinized the testimony of Mancao.

Aquino’s lawyer likewise said they are no longer pursuing their motion for reinvestigation after it has been junked by Medina.

Medina said a reinvestigation would cause further delay in the resolution of this case, which would be unfair to the other accused who are languishing in jail.

Aquino was brought back to the NBI headquarters after the hearing. Poblador said his client will remain under the NBI custody while the case is being heard. Medina set the next hearing on Nov. 23 at 2 p.m.