US court OKs extradition of ex-cop in Dacer-Corbito case

CHICAGO, Illinois – After a three-hour marathon hearing Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), former Philippine police officer Glenn Galapon Dumlao was ordered extradited to the Philippines by Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson of the United District Court of Eastern New York in Long Island, New York. Dumlao is being held without bail for extradition for the double murder of prominent Filipino publicist Bubby Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito, who were kidnapped, strangled and burned more than eight years ago. Robert Nardoza, spokesman of the US Attorney’s office in Long Island, did not provide details except to say that “Glenn Galapon Dumlao was ordered extradited to the Republic of the Philippines today at 4 p.m. after a 3-hour hearing." Nardoza added that according to the treaty between the Philippines and the United States, Dumlao will “be extradited within 60 days." He was not sure if Dumlao’s public defender, Tracey Gaffey, can file an appeal. “You have to check with Tracey Gaffey," he said in an e-mail. The court order was a surprise since Dumlao was originally scheduled for arraignment at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. His arraignment was twice postponed – first o, Dec. 5 and second on Dec. 8, when Dumlao was not brought to court. For unknown reason, Judge Tomlinson reset the hearing from Dec. 8 to Tuesday, Dec. 9. Assistant US Attorney Ott, who represented the US government, could not be reached for comment. Dumlao, 45, a former senior superintendent of the Philippine National Police and a resident of Patchogue, New York, was arrested last Nov. 20 on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge William D. Wall on Nov. 18. According to court records, Dumlao, whose last known employment was as a house cleaner of apartment Neck Lane, South Hampton, New York, is being investigated by the US Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Meanwhile, at the initial hearing of the case of Dumlao’s co-accused, Cezar O. Mancao II, in the US District Court in Southern Florida in Fort Lauderdale last Dec. 3, Bernardo Lopez was appointed as Mancao’s public defender to assist him in his extradition case. Along with Dumlao and Mancao, Michael Ray Aquino rounds out their third co-accused, in the double murder of Dacer and Corbito. An extradition hearing has yet to be initiated for Aquino although the three of them were requested for extradition by the Philippine government to face trial for the Dacer-Corbito double murder. Court records provided by the Philippine Justice Department during the trial of Aquino for spying before the US District Court in New Jersey showed that it was Aquino who stage-managed the murder of Dacer and Corbito, with the help of Dumlao and Mancao. Aquino, along with Mancao and Dumlao, were trusted officers of then PNP chief, now senator, Panfilo Lacson. The three fled the Philippines after they were accused as conspirators in the double murder. On Nov. 24, 2000 between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. in Manila, Dacer and Corbito were kidnapped by armed men, who turned out to be subordinates of Aquino, Mancao and Dumlao. On the night of the same day, Dacer and Corbito were later strangled and their bodies were burned and found in barangay Buna Lejos in Indang, Cavite, near southern metropolitan Manila. - GMANews.TV