Lacson downplays kidnap raps: 'Old song, different singer'
11/14/2009 | 09:36 PM
Old song, different singer. This was how Sen. Panfilo Lacson described the criminal charges filed against him before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of two Chinese nationals over ten years ago.
Lacson dismissed the complaint as a “revival" of a case filed against him in 2002 by the Philippine National Police- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) also before the DOJ. However, due to lack of jurisdiction, the department referred the same case to the Office of the Ombudsman. The case was later dismissed, according to the senator.
“(This is just a) revival, a remix. It has the same lyrics and composition as the first case, only with different singers and musical directors," Lacson said in a radio interview on Saturday.
Lacson claimed that the new kidnapping case filed against him was an attempt by the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to persecute him.
“Since 2001, I have done a lot of exposés against this administration. This is only one way of getting back at me," he said in Filipino.
The PNP-CIDG on Friday filed two counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention against Lacson and 17 other former police officials for their alleged involvement in the abduction of Chong Hiu Ming and Wong Kam Chong more than ten years ago. [See: Lacson, police officers slapped with kidnapping charges]
Lacson, former head of the now defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, said he was not a bit worried about the case because he had nothing to do with the alleged abductions.
“I have nothing to worry about because I know I am innocent. It is really difficult to defend oneself in a case you know nothing about," he said. - ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV
Lacson dismissed the complaint as a “revival" of a case filed against him in 2002 by the Philippine National Police- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) also before the DOJ. However, due to lack of jurisdiction, the department referred the same case to the Office of the Ombudsman. The case was later dismissed, according to the senator.
“(This is just a) revival, a remix. It has the same lyrics and composition as the first case, only with different singers and musical directors," Lacson said in a radio interview on Saturday.
Lacson claimed that the new kidnapping case filed against him was an attempt by the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to persecute him.
“Since 2001, I have done a lot of exposés against this administration. This is only one way of getting back at me," he said in Filipino.
The PNP-CIDG on Friday filed two counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention against Lacson and 17 other former police officials for their alleged involvement in the abduction of Chong Hiu Ming and Wong Kam Chong more than ten years ago. [See: Lacson, police officers slapped with kidnapping charges]
Lacson, former head of the now defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, said he was not a bit worried about the case because he had nothing to do with the alleged abductions.
“I have nothing to worry about because I know I am innocent. It is really difficult to defend oneself in a case you know nothing about," he said. - ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV
