Manila Court Orders the Arrest of Sen. Lacson
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is now considered “fugitive” since the Manila court ordered his arrest last Friday, February 5, 2010 in connection with the November 2000 killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his drive Emmanuel Corbito.
The arrest warrant was issued by Judge Myra Garcia-Fernandez of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18, which is handling the double murder case.
The opposition senator whereabouts is determined as of today; Sen. Lacson flew out of the country for Hong Kong last January 5, two days before he was formally charged in court.
Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera told ANC on Friday that she does “not have any information” on Lacson’s whereabouts, but said the senator would be arrested as soon as he sets foot in the country, since he is already considered a fugitive.
The question now is where in the world is Sen. Panfilo Lacson? As of now, Lacson is now being tracked by the Interpol.
According to Lawyer Ric Diaz of NBI Sen. Lacson cannot be in Australia, as claimed by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino
Pimentel and other colleagues, because Lacson’s visa to travel to Australia expired in 2008 and has not been renewed.
Lacson cannot be in the United States either because, Diaz said, “his US visa was cancelled after he was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the espionage case involving Michael Ray Aquino and [Leandro] Aragoncillo.”
It is believed that Lacson flew to Hong Kong on Jan. 5 and he could still be in the former British colony, or he could have jumped off from there to any other Asian country.
Justice Secretary Devanadera said “it’s now up to the NBI to determine where Lacson really is and to serve the arrest warrant.”
