Immigration Commissioner Andrea Domingo told The STAR yesterday Aquino and Mancao, former top officials of the disbanded Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, sneaked out through the Mactan International Airport in Cebu three weeks ago.
Domingo said she learned from an unimpeachable source that the two police officers are seeking political asylum in the United States.
Domingo said the two, who were in the immigration bureau’s hold-departure list, flew aboard Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, where they took a connecting flight to the US.
Last May 1, Aquino and Mancao were placed in the hold-departure list after they were linked to the siege of Malacañang by Estrada supporters early on the same day.
Aquino and Mancao reportedly destroyed their fake passports containing bogus departure stamps before arriving in Hong Kong and presented their genuine passports to immigration officers, she added.
However, Domingo refused to identify her source nor give the date when the two police officers lef the country.
Domingo said she had ordered the investigation of all immigration officers assigned at the Mactan International Airport to determine how Aquino and Mancao were able to flee.
It was "unbelievable" that immigration officers at Mactan International Airport failed to recognize Aquino and Mancao, who are "controversial" figures, she added.
State Prosecutor Juan Pedro Navera told The STAR yesterday Bayani Loste, Aquino’s and Mancao’s counsel, had promised to file a counter-affidavit to rebut the allegations of police Chief Superintendent Glenn Dumlao that they were involved in the Dacer-Corbito kidnap-murder case.
However, Navera said the lawyer failed to submit a counter-affidavit, and that a second preliminary investigation on the case is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. today.
On the other hand, Director Thompson Lantion, Philippine National Police community relations chief, said Aquino and Mancao have been absent without leave from their posts for a month now.
"Aquino is undergoing administrative sanctions with the Internal Affairs Service in connection with the charges filed by (former police asset Mary Ong, alias) Rosebud," he said.
Lantion said Aquino and Mancao will be extradited to the country once authorities confirm that they are in the US or any other country with which the Philippines has an extradition treaty.
"These are indications of (breaches) in discipline and their being senior responsible officers coming from premier institutions of investigations and military discipline, it is of concern why these things would happen to them," he said.
They are responsible officers and they should come to court and present themselves to clear their names at the proper forum, he added.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Reynaldo Wycoco told reporters yesterday he has ordered the bureau’s International Police Division and National Capital Region office to coordinate with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to help in the arrest of Aquino and Mancao in the US. – With reports from Christina Mendez, Jose Aravilla