BuCor chief flies to US to confirm Mancao return next week

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice on Thursday said that Bureau of Corrections director Oscar Calderon is in the US to "check" on former Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II who might arrive next week. "I wanted to be sure that Mancao will eventually return to the Philippines since his extradition has been completed… [Calderon left] just to monitor the development in the US," Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said in a news briefing. The Justice chief said he expects Mancao to be back Tuesday next week although he has yet to be officially advised about it. Gonzalez said Calderon left for the US on Sunday. A radio report said Mancao had requested Calderon – a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief – to personally fetch him from his detention cell in Florida. Calderon stood as godfather at Mancao's wedding. Gonzalez disclosed that Calderon was the same official he had earlier sent to the United States to secure the DOJ a copy of Mancao’s controversial February 14 affidavit. The Mancao affidavit reportedly identified former President Joseph Estrada and former PNP chief and incumbent Sen. Panfilo Lacson as the brains behind the killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000. Mancao claimed he and Lacson’s driver – Sergeant Reynaldo Oximoso Sr – were aboard the senator’s vehicle sometime in October 2000 when Lacson instructed former Senior Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino to finish off Dacer. Aquino, Mancao, and another suspect - Superintendent Glenn Dumlao - all flew to the United States following the Dacer-Corbito double killings. Mancao and Dumlao were earlier arrested for overstaying, while Aquino was imprisoned for leaking confidential US documents. Lacson, Oximoso, and Estrada all denied having any involvement or knowledge about the death of Dacer and Corbito. But Gonzalez said he is confident Mancao would not be changing the claims he narrated in his affidavit. Dumlao was earlier scheduled to be extradited last week but a New York court granted his motion to cancel the extradition. Mancao’s lawyer, Arnedo Valera, had assured the government that his client would not replicate Dumlao’s attempt to block his extradition case and would willingly return to the country. But Gonzalez said Mancao had preferred to return to the US after testifying in the Dacar-Corbito case. "Mrs. Mancao always said they wanted to settle in the United States. [Mancao] will come home to testify but the request is we will help them to return to the US," Gonzalez said. - GMANews.TV