MANILA – A Manila lower court on Friday ordered the arrest of a senior opposition senator who is the principal accused in the murder of a controversial publicist and his driver in 2000.
Ordered arrested by the Manila Regional Trial Court was opposition Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who was acknowledged as one of the most powerful officials during the term of ousted president Joseph Estrada.
But the arrest order could not be served on Lacson because Bureau of Immigration records showed that he left for Hong Kong on January 5, or two days before the government filed before the Manila court charges of double murder against him.
Lacson is accused of allegedly masterminding the killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito who were abducted by suspected members of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (Paoctf) on November 24, 2000..
Dacer, who served as public relations consultant for top government officials and big business firms, was on his way to his office at the Manila Hotel when he and his driver were abducted.
The charred remains of Dacer and Corbito were found about a week later in a remote mountain town in Cavite province, Southern Luzon.
When they were abducted, Lacson headed the Paoctf in a concurrent capacity as the director general of the 130,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP).
Government prosecutors said Dacer was killed allegedly on orders of Lacson because he had in his possession “damaging documents” that could lead to the downfall of the Estrada administration.
Immediately after the court issued the order, Secretary Agnes Devanadera of the Department of Justice directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to serve the arrest warrant on Lacson.
Devanadera pointed out that Lacson is now considered a fugitive, stressing the “law is now after him.”
Devanadera also said Lacson could not invoke parliamentary immunity, including arrest, because he is charged with a criminal offense whose penalty is more than six years imprisonment as provided by the 1986 Constitution.
Lacson’s colleagues, headed by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, joined Devanadera in asking Lacson to return and answer allegations of complicity in the celebrated double murder case.
“Senator Lacson should come home and answer the problem,” Enrile said as he assured the senator of “fair treatment” and “due courtesy as a lawmaker” even if he lands in jail while undergoing trial.
However, Lacson’s lawyers said they would ask the lower court reconsider its order for the arrest of the senator.
If the court rejects their petition, the lawyers said they would elevate the case and ask the Court of Appeals to issue a temporary restraining order against Lacson’s arrest.
Until Friday when the arrest order was issued, lawmen and other officials admitted they did not know the exact location abroad where Lacson has taken refuge.
NBI agents said they are positive Lacson is not in Australia where he was earlier reported to have gone, based on reliable information they have received from their Australian counterparts.
Government lawyers warned they would ask the Department of Foreign Affairs to either suspend or cancel Lacson’s passport to force his return to the Philippines.
Last week, Lacson issued a press statement through his Senate office and admitted he left the country to escape the “evil conspiracy” between Malacanang and the justice department to pin him down the on double murder case.
Lacson claimed he was being targeted by Malacanang for “political persecution” because of his exposes on the Senate floor which detailed alleged rampant and unabated graft and corruption in the Arroyo administration.
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