Lacson seeks SC help in Dacer-Corbito case
10/01/2009 | 07:59 PM
Senator Panfilo Lacson has asked the Supreme Court to stop the Department of Justice from re-investigating the nine-year-old Dacer-Corbito murder case in which he is a respondent.
In a 55-page petition, Lacson’s lawyer, Gregorio Fernandez, asked the high court to reverse the August 17, 2009 Court of Appeals’ resolution junking Lacson’s plea for a temporary restraining order against the re-investigation.
Fernandez said the DOJ had already prejudged his client when presidential legal counsel Raul Gonzalez, during his term as Justice secretary, said the affidavit of former policeman Cezar Mancao II is sufficient to prove the guilt of the senator.
The statement of current Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera that she would handle the double-murder case the way Gonzalez wanted it to be echoed the same prejudgment, Fernandez said.
“In view of such prejudgment, it is no longer proper for the DOJ and the panel to take cognizance of the reinvestigation," he added.
Lacson has repeatedly denied involvement in the killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.
Mancao is a member of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), a composite team under the Philippine National Police (PNP) headed by Lacson during the time of the Dacer-Corbito killings.
Fernandez also said the DOJ reinvestigation is being conducted without the approval of the Manila Regional Trial Court, which is also trying the case.
Government prosecutors led by Senior State Prosecutor Peter Ong had ordered Lacson to submit his counter affidavit on the complaint filed by the daughters of Dacer and to appear during the preliminary investigation scheduled on October 8. - GMANews.TV
In a 55-page petition, Lacson’s lawyer, Gregorio Fernandez, asked the high court to reverse the August 17, 2009 Court of Appeals’ resolution junking Lacson’s plea for a temporary restraining order against the re-investigation.
Fernandez said the DOJ had already prejudged his client when presidential legal counsel Raul Gonzalez, during his term as Justice secretary, said the affidavit of former policeman Cezar Mancao II is sufficient to prove the guilt of the senator.
The statement of current Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera that she would handle the double-murder case the way Gonzalez wanted it to be echoed the same prejudgment, Fernandez said.
“In view of such prejudgment, it is no longer proper for the DOJ and the panel to take cognizance of the reinvestigation," he added.
Lacson has repeatedly denied involvement in the killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.
Mancao is a member of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), a composite team under the Philippine National Police (PNP) headed by Lacson during the time of the Dacer-Corbito killings.
Fernandez also said the DOJ reinvestigation is being conducted without the approval of the Manila Regional Trial Court, which is also trying the case.
Government prosecutors led by Senior State Prosecutor Peter Ong had ordered Lacson to submit his counter affidavit on the complaint filed by the daughters of Dacer and to appear during the preliminary investigation scheduled on October 8. - GMANews.TV
