Gringo reiterates call to Lacson: Submit yourself to law

The once fugitive Senator Gregorio Honasan II on Wednesday reiterated his call to his mistah Senator Panfilo Lacson to “submit yourself and place yourself under custody of the law." “Ang advice ko noon at ngayon sa aking mistah ay kung mararapatin nya ay dumaan na sya sa proseso. I speak from my own personal experience. Dumaan ako sa proseso. That’s the only way to clear this up," the senator told reporters in a phone patch interview. (My advice to my mistah then and now has always been that he should go through the process. I myself underwent the same process.) [See: Honasan to Lacson: Submit to rule of law] Lacson and Honasan are both members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1971. Honasan admitted that Lacson’s surrender could be muddled with intrigues because the latter was close to President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. “But the main issue is there are charges, there are accusations. The only way in democracy is you face it. There is a guarantee naman of a fair trial," he said. Told that the case against Lacson is non-bailable, the senator said there is nothing that prevents his colleague from moving for a reinvestigation of the case that will warrant downgrading of the charges. Asked if he has any information on Lacson’s whereabouts, Honasan replied in the negative, saying those in hiding would contact the persons close to them the last. “Just like in my case, ang huli kong kokontakin yun malalapit sa akin, yung classmates, yun pwedeng pahirapan kung sakaling alam mo na. Syempre pag ikaw yung law enforcement, hahanapin mo muna yung mga support system, yung pamilya, kaibigan, kamag-anak, mga political supporters. I suppose that’s the reason why up to now we do not have any direct contact," the senator said. (The last ones to be contacted are classmates because they might face undue pressure. If you’re with law enforcement, the first thing you’ll do would be to look for support system — family, friends, and political supporters.) Lacson is facing double murder charges in connection with the killing of publicist Salvador 'Bubby' Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000. He went into hiding shortly after a Manila court issued in February this year a warrant for his arrest. Honasan, on the other hand, went into hiding in February 2006 when the Makati regional trial court issued a warrant of arrest against him and six others in connection with the failed July 27, 2003 Oakwood mutiny. He was also among those charged with rebellion in connection with the botched February 24, 2006 coup. He was subsequently arrested on November 14, 2006 at a posh subdivision in Quezon City. He even suffered a wound on his right foot when he tried to escape arrest. Honasan, who ran for a Senate post, was granted bail by the Makati court in April 2007, about three weeks before the election day. On May 13, 2007, Honasan sought reconsideration of the Department of Justice resolution dated Apr. 18, 2007 that found probable cause to indict him as the architect of the failed Oakwood mutiny. The Justice department overturned the resolution and dropped the coup d’ etat charges in June 22, 2007, days after he was proclaimed as one of the elected senators. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV