Michael Ray Aquino: No order from Erap, Ping to kill Dacer, Corbito

Following his return to the Philippines after 10 years in the United States Sunday, former police Senior Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino said he is looking forward to proving his innocence in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case. In a statement, Aquino also “cleared" his former bosses – former President Joseph Estrada and Sen. Panfilo Lacson – from the case, saying he never received any order from them to abduct, harm or kill publicist Salvador Dacer or his driver Emmanuel Corbito. “(Gusto) ko pong malaman ng sambayanang Pilipino na wala pong utos sa akin si President Joseph Ejercito Estrada o si Senator Panfilo M. Lacson to kidnap, harm and/or murder anyone specifically Mr. Salvador Dacer and Mr. Emmanuel Corbito. Wala na po akong maidaragdag, dahil wala po akong karagdagang kaalaman," he said in his statement. He said he already categorically denied any knowledge of, and participation and involvement in, the Dacer-Corbito case when he was interviewed by media 10 years ago. “That’s the truth and nothing has changed since then. Then and now, I still maintain my innocence," he said. Aquino thanked God and those who helped him during the last 10 years, which he called “the ten most trying and challenging years of my life." “I sincerely believe that this is my opportunity to clear my name, prove my innocence and finally put to rest all speculations about me," he added, referring to his return. For now, he said he is ready to face his accusers and prove his innocence, but voiced hopes his rights would be respected and safeguarded. Aquino said he hopes that this time around, his constitutional rights including due process, an honest-to-goodness preliminary investigation and speedy trial will be respected. “I would like reiterate to everyone that I am now ready to face my
 accusers and to prove my innocence. I just hope and fervently pray that this time around, my guaranteed Constitutional Rights to due process, to have an honest-to-goodness preliminary investigation, to a speedy and public trial, to have the compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in my favor, to present controverting evidence, to have the assistance of a counsel of my own choice, to enjoy my rights to remain silent, and to exhaust all available legal remedies would be respected and safe-guarded by the authorities concerned," he said. Career in exchange for freedom Aquino said that while his lawyers advised him he had “strong grounds" to appeal his extradition to the US Supreme Court, he decided to let the extradition process take its course after consulting with his family. But he also explained his decision to go on “self-exile" in 2001, saying he had to sacrifice his career “in exchange for freedom." He also said that while being falsely accused almost a decade ago for a crime he did not commit was not a surprise to him, what was “tragic" was that his family was not spared. Aquino said his wife and son were regularly flagged down and harassed every time they left their home. “Dumating pa yung panahon that my innocent son, young as he was then, began trembling, as if having anxiety or panic attacks, every time he saw uniformed police officers, and vehemently refused to go inside Camp Crame," he said. “At that particular point, I knew I had to make some very painful decisions in life. I sacrificed my career in exchange for freedom; uprooted my family and went on self-exile; and pursued other goals. I feared not the prosecution but the persecution, and for the safety and security of my family," he added. Aquino fled to the United States in 2001, but in 2005 he was arrested by American authorities, not for the Dacer-Corbito case but for his unauthorized possession of US confidential documents described as a “blueprint" to topple then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. In July 2006, Aquino pleaded guilty to charges of unauthorized possession of US documents. He entered the guilty plea to the lower offense to avoid the heavier charge of espionage, which is punishable by life imprisonment. A year later, Aquino was sentenced to six years and four months in prison for his supposed role in an effort to use the information to undermine the Arroyo administration. — with a report by Sophia Dedace/LBG, GMA News