Lacson insists travel documents were authentic

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Monday maintained that the travel documents he used when he returned to the Philippines after coming out of hiding abroad last March were authentic. "Cleared na ako at ako bibiyahe sa ibang bansa at pauwi ng Pilipinas gagamit pa ako ng fake travel document (I was already cleared from the case so why would I use a fake travel document)," Lacson told reporters during an ambush interview. "Pag nahuli ako, kulong pa ako samantalang pwede pa ako umuwi (If I got caught using a fake travel document, I would be put in jail. Why would I risk that if I could freely come home)? So it doesn’t make sense," he added. Lacson returned to the country after the Court of Appeals (CA) ordered with finality the nullification of the arrest warrants against him and the charges lodged against him for his alleged involvement in the November 2000 killings of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. He left the country in January 2010. However, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had earlier revealed that Travel Document No. 34258, which Lacson supposedly used to re-enter the country, had not been sent to any Philippine post abroad. The Philippine consulates in Hong Kong, Macau, Xiamen and Guangzhou had likewise reportedly denied issuing a travel document to the senator. Lacson, however, said that he "came face to face" with the consul who issued his travel documents so he was sure of their authenticity. "It's still with me but I don’t want to go into details," he said. He added that he wished the issue would be put to rest. "Tapos na ang issue na yan at narito na ako di ako pwede palabasin sa bansa dahil mamamayan ako rito (That issue is over and I am already here, you can't ask me to leave because I am a citizen here)," he said. Dacer-Corbito murder case Justice Secretary Leila de Lima had earlier said that the Department of Justice will conduct a reinvestigation to determine whether Lacson should be held liable for the twin killings. Lacson, for his part, said he is willing to help the Dacer family in the murder case. "I’m open to that kung lalapit sila sa akin maayos ang pag-uusap, maayos na mahinahon, hustisya ang habol (if they will approach and talk to me properly. If all they want is justice), why not?" he said. The senator, however, noted that the DOJ should not only look into him as the sole suspect because the testimony of the key witness, former police officer Cezar Mancao II, has already been deemed not credible by the CA. "Anong gagamitin nilang ebidensya (What other evidence will they use)?" he said. Mancao served under Lacson when the senator was still in the police force. Lacson is still facing an ethics complaint earlier filed by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) against him for his failure to surrender himself to proper authorities; fleeing the country to evade arrest; and his continued absence from the Senate sessions. - KBK, GMA News