No ill will in appointment of Lacson associates, Palace says

The President did not appoint two former associates of fugitive senator Panfilo Lacson as a way of preparing for the lawmaker’s possible return to the country, a Palace official said Friday. In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said rumors of Lacson's possible return have nothing to do with the new appointments of retired Police Director Magtanggol Gatdula and political strategist Lito Banayo. President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III earlier named Gatdula as chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Banayo as head of the National Food Authority (NFA). Gatdula, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1976, was deputy chief for administration of the now defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), which Lacson led when he was still a policeman. Banayo, meanwhile, was Lacson's campaign manager when he ran for president in 2004. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima earlier said Lacson sent feelers he would be returning to the country soon. "I do not believe that there is any relevance or bearing to the appointment of Mr. Gatdula," said Lacierda. "The senator’s feelers were done prior to the appointment of Mr. Gatdula." De Lima told Lacierda the feelers were received by the NBI in June, before Gatdula was appointed. About Banayo, Lacierda said he was appointed because he "shared the common view" of Aquino. "He was very instrumental in the campaign, he was very helpful. It was in no way because he’s related in a professional manner with Senator Lacson," said Lacierda. "We'd just like to emphasize that there’s no bearing on his work with Sen. Lacson," he added. Lacson was one of Aquino's closest friends in the Senate. But Aquino had earlier said Lacson would receive no special favors from his government upon his return. Lacson is facing double murder charges before a Quezon City court for the nine-year-old Dacer-Corbito case. He fled the country January this year and has been in hiding ever since. A warrant of arrest has been issued against him. Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito were kidnapped and murdered allegedly by members of PAOCTF in November 2000. –VVP, GMANews.TV