Court denies Lacson plea to reinvestigate Dacer-Corbito case

A Manila court denied a fugitive senator's appeal to have the Justice Department reinvestigate the November 2000 killing of veteran publicist Salvador 'Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. In an order dated July 23, Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18 acting Presiding Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina said Senator Panfilo Lacson's appeal for a case review and revocation of his arrest warrant lacked substance. Thus, the order for his arrest issued last February remains in effect. "The Motion for Reconsideration (alternatively, Supplement to Accused's Motion for Reconsideration of the 4 February 2010 order filed by Senator Lacson) is denied for lack of merit," the court said. "The Motion for Reconsideration dated 10 February 2010 filed by Senator Lacson is likewise denied for lack of merit. Hence, the warrant of arrest issued by this court against him shall stand," it added. The court also ordered the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Foreign Affairs to "take the proper steps" in bringing Lacson back to the Philippines. Lacson fled the country on January 5, two days before the Department of Justice charged him for double murder before the Manila RTC Branch 18. He later admitted leaving the Philippines to escape what he considered persecution by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's administration. On February 5, then Presiding Judge Myra Garcia-Fernandez ordered Lacson's arrest. Authorities have remained clueless about Lacson's whereabouts, but the National Bureau of Investigation had said he was last seen in Rome, Italy. The senator had repeatedly denied having masterminded the Nov. 24, 2000 twin-killings. — VVP/LBG, GMANews.TV