Lacson's ex-driver arrested for murders

Police authorities on Monday arrested the former personal driver of Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who himself is currently hiding from the law, in Bataan province for his alleged involvement in the deaths of five anti-crime agents in the 1990s. Reynaldo Oximoso, a retired sergeant, was arrested in Brgy. Binukawan in Bagac town around 11:45 a.m., according to Bataan police director Senior Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao. “We received reports that he (Oximoso) was seen in Bagac. Based on the reports, he visited the grave of his mother and at the same time attended the victory party of his relative who was elected captain of Brgy. Binukawan," said Gunnacao. Gunnacao said they had been tracking down Oximoso, a native of Bagac, since he was implicated in the high-profile murders of publicist Salvador “Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito, in which Lacson is the primary suspect, in 2000. Lacson has been in hiding since early this year after an arrest order was issued against him in connection to the Dacer-Corbito double murder case. He is believed to be out of the country. According to Gunnacao, Oximiso was the subject of an arrest warrant issued in connection to the deaths of five agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the 1990s, which was then still the Criminal Investigation Service. Gunnacao said Oximoso did not resist arrest, but denied he was the one the authorities were looking for. He also admitted he was Lacson’s driver from 1996 to 2004 until he was given an administrative duty at Camp Crame. He retired in 2006. Oximoso is currently detained at the headquarters of the Bataan police, and will be brought to the court on Tuesday for his commitment order. Last year, Oximoso made headlines after former Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II, who is also among the accused in the Dacer-Corbito murder case, said he was the driver of the vehicle when Lacson allegedly issued the order to kill both Dacer and former police general Reynaldo Berroya. Oximoso had denied knowledge of the crime. Also last year, Oximoso offered to surface to shed light on the deaths of Dacer and Corbito, provided that he is provided security on his way to the Department of Justice and that his trip be covered by media. His demands, however, were rejected by then Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales. - KBK, GMANews.TV