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DOJ to reinvestigate Dacer-Corbito case


After passing up on the opportunity to seek redress from the Supreme Court regarding the Dacer-Corbito case, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to reinvestigate the high-profile double murder case blamed on Sen. Panfilo Lacson. At a news briefing on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said her department will “definitely" conduct a reinvestigation to determine whether Lacson should be held liable for the November 2000 twin killings. De Lima had the option of ordering a reinvestigation or asking the Supreme Court to reverse the Court of Appeals’ ruling ordering the dismissal of the double murder case against Lacson. The DOJ had only until last Tuesday, April 12, to file an appeal, but government lawyers suggested that the DOJ reinvestigate the case instead. At the news briefing, De Lima said that her department “will come up with the proper procedure" after the Holy Week break. Difficult choice “We will definitely push through with the reinvestigation. It was difficult for us to choose reinvestigation, but this is what we chose. We owe it to the Dacer family," she said. Last February 3, the Court of Appeals’ Special Sixth Division said there was no probable cause for the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 to try Lacson for the killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby" Dacer and Emmanuel Corbito. The CA said the DOJ’s key witness, former police officer Cezar Mancao II, was not credible. Mancao served under Lacson when the senator was still in the police force. The appellate court then held that the criminal charges against Lacson should be dismissed, and that the arrest warrants against him must be revoked. The DOJ and the Dacer family filed their respective appeals, but they were denied by the Court of Appeals. On March 18, the appellate court sustained its earlier finding and said the nullification of the arrest warrants was executory. After more than a year in hiding, Lacson returned to the Philippines on March 26, maintaining that he had nothing to do with the killings. Pending petition The DOJ may have nixed its option to file an appeal with the Supreme Court, but Dacer’s family took the legal battle to the high court by filing a petition for review. On Tuesday, De Lima said there is nothing wrong with having a pending petition with the high court while the DOJ reinvestigates the double murder case. “It’s better that there is a pending petition at the Supreme Court. If the results of the reinvestigation would tend to strengthen the claims of Mancao, then we can share that with the Dacer family and present that to the Supreme Court," she said. She added that if the reinvestigation would exonerate Lacson, the Dacers “can always withdraw" the petition they filed with the Supreme Court. - KBK, GMA News

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