Lacson accuses Palace of ordering smear drive

MANILA, Philippines – Government-run and sequestered stations now have an order from Malacañang to go "full blast" in their smear drive against Sen. Panfilo Lacson. That's what Lacson himself said in an interview aired over dWIZ radio on Saturday, citing information from Palace insiders that the order came out as early as three weeks ago, shortly before the Dacer-Corbito double murder case was "resurrected." The case stemmed from the abduction and killing of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer killed and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000. Palace officials have repeatedly denied having a hand in reviving interest in the case as a smear campaign against Lacson. But Lacson believes otherwise, saying: "May kaibigan tayo sa loob ng Malacañang nagasasabi [na] talagang ang instruction three weeks ago: 'Go full blast on Lacson.' Kaya ngayon ang government stations inutusan nila: 'Go full blast. Talagang sirain at wasakin ang credibility.' Yan ang di ko maintindihan kung bakit sobrang init sa akin nitong Malacañang na ito," ["The information I got from inside the Palace is that as early as three weeks ago, the Palace ordered government media to: 'Go full blast on Lacson. Wreck his credibility.' I don't understand why Malacañang is so sore with me."] He said the complaint filed by the Dacer family against him at the Justice Department on Friday might be part of the smear drive, because the supposed complaint carried no legal weight. "Palagay ko may kumakarga pa rito... Palagay ko dahil may issue, sumasakay sila. Pinapaypayan nila. May suspetsa ako sinong may mga connection sa media or PR persons na gumagawa nito. Ako pikit mata na lang. Sasagutin ko na lang," he said. ["I think there are others fanning the flames... I think they're riding on the issue. I have my suspicions as to the people doing this – who have connections in media or PR persons. I'll just look the other way and answer the accusations."] But Lacson said he was not fazed, adding that he had the support of the Senate as relayed to him personally Saturday morning by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. He also said colleagues like Sen. Manuel Roxas II sent him text messages offering support as well. “Tinext niya ako sabi nyia hang in there, kung anumang maitulong niya e nandiyan siya para tumulong (He sent me a text message telling me to hang in there, and that he is ready to help if I need it)," he said. He also said he would continue with his work at the Senate as chairman of the Ways and Means, Ethics, and Accounts Committees. Timed for the weekend news lull According to Lacson, the complaint against him was based on the affidavit of former Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II, which he said had "no probative value without corroboration." "Ginagawa nila alam kasi nila Biyernes kahapon so maliwanag na public relations job ito dahil alam nila magli-linger yan buong weekend eh. Kasi di ba medyo pahinga ang ibang newscast pag weekend? So ito ang kanilang intention," he said. [They timed the filing on a Friday because they knew the issue would linger through the weekend, because there are few newscasts. This is their intention."] Mancao was the head of Task Group Luzon of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) at the time of the killings, in November 2000, during President Joseph Estrada's term. Lacson denied the accusation that he ordered the killings because Dacer opposed his appointment as Philippine National Police chief. He said there was no reason for him to get back at Dacer. He was appointed to the post anyway. He was then also the PAOCTF head. What bail? Lacson also contested text messages that he was behind the $100,000 "bail" for former Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao, who is fighting his extradition from the United States. "Unang-una, wala pa naman petition for bond si Dumlao, magpa-file pa lang ng petition for bond," he said. "Bakit media rito meron agad na $100,000 na bond? Saan nanggaling ang amount? Di alam ng huwes, ng abogado ni Dumlao magkano ang bond na utos kay Dumlao para pansamantalang makalaya. Bakit natin pinapatulan natin ang istoryang walang basehan at puro kasinungalingan? Yan ang nakakapagtaka." ["In the first place, there's no petition for bond from Dumlao’s camp. So where did some sectors of the media get that information? And why are they paying so much attention to stories that have no basis? These things make you wonder."] Also, he belied claims he can be liable for obstruction of justice because he supposedly ordered Mancao and former Senior Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino to leave for the US after the Dacer-Corbito killings. He said he never ordered the two to go abroad. - GMANews.TV