De Lima eyes speedy extradition of Michael Ray Aquino

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to start the ball rolling for the extradition of double murder suspect Michael Ray Aquino following the decision of a United States court to thumb down his last-ditch appeal to stop the process. “The DOJ has to move to fast-track the extradition of Aquino to face trial here. He is indicted here, the case involving him is very much alive so he must face trial," said DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima in an interview Wednesday. De Lima said as their first move, she will ask the legal staff of the Office of the Chief State Counsel and the National Prosecution Service to verify the report and determine if Aquino can still avail of other legal remedies to stop his extradition. “I will ask to verify exactly the status of that case and the status of extradition. I already announced few weeks ago that we are waiting for the finality of the decision of the US court. Apparently he tried elevating it to the higher court but he failed. That’s how the report goes, but we need to check that. If it’s confirmed na wala nang remedyo or he does not avail of further remedy against extradition, then we have to move already," she said. Aquino, a former police officer at the now defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, is currently detained at the Hudson Country jail in New Jersey while awaiting his extradition to Manila to face trial for the November 2000 murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby" Dacer and Dacer’s driver Emmanuel Corbito. De Lima said the ruling of the US court is a significant development in view of the reinvestigation to be conducted by the DOJ in connection with the double murder case. “Of course, it’s a significant event, but what exactly is the extent of the cooperation that may be expected from him would be another matter. We are of course hoping he will fully cooperate," she said. Charges against the principal suspect in the case, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, had already been ordered dismissed by the Court of Appeals. Lacson, also a former police official, was Aquino’s superior in the PAOCTF. - KBK, GMA News