US State Department gives NBI documents on Lacson

US State Department officials have turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation "vital documents" to show that Sen. Panfilo Lacson has "more than $50 million in secret bank accounts" in the United States, NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco said yesterday.

However, Wycoco refused to give the exact amount allegedly in Lacson’s name or identify the banks where the supposed millions of dollars are deposited.

"We will give the actual figures once our experts make the confirmation," he said. "It will be up to the Department of Justice whether or not to use these as evidence in ongoing investigation against the senator."

On the other hand, Lacson branded as "another hogwash" Wycoco’s statement that the NBI received documents from US government agencies showing that he has several bank accounts containing more than $50 million.

"His information is (as) rubbish as his reputation as an investigative officer," he said.

In another development, an adviser to US Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said Lacson went to the United States during former President Joseph Estrada’s impeachment trial to present himself as an alternative to his disgraced benefactor.

Lacson however belied Al Santoli’s claim, saying he went to the US merely to follow up that country’s assistance to the national police which the senator headed at the time.

Wycoco said the documents are helping the NBI look into Lacson’s alleged bank accounts and that these are similar to those in the hands of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP).

"The documents are now in the possession of the NBI and are undergoing evaluation to determine their authenticity," he said.

Lacson’s alleged bank accounts cropped up last April when two Hong Kong Chinese, who were allegedly kidnapped and released after paying ransom to the disbanded Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, filed a complaint against Lacson before the NBI, Wycoco added.

But Lacson said Wycoco was just trying to rescue ISAFP chief Col. Victor Corpus from the mess he had dug himself in when he failed to prove his allegations that Lacson has various bank accounts in several countries.

"Obviously, Malacañang has been quite disappointed with Corpus for his failure to back up his claim with solid evidence," he said. "So in comes Wycoco to save the day for Corpus."

Lacson challenged both Wycoco and Corpus to gather evidence that could prove their allegations and file appropriate charges against him in court based on that evidence.

On the other hand, Corpus taunted Lacson and told him to sign a legal document that would grant ISAFP "blanket authority" to look into the senator’s bank accounts and properties in the country and abroad.

"This authority to make inquiries and verification shall include governmental and private agencies and entities in any and all foreign countries, including the Philippines," he said.

Corpus said he also wants Lacson’s wife, Alice, and ousted President Joseph Estrada and Sen. Luisa Estrada to sign a document similar to the one he had prepared for Lacson.

"These would help the government bolster its evidence that the Lacsons and Estradas have maintained more than $50 million in various accounts in foreign banks," he said.

Corpus said government agents will also look into Lacson’s other properties in the US and the Philippines, which might have been acquired with ill-gotten wealth.

A matter of national security

Corpus showed reporters yesterday the draft of a four-page waiver, which he wants Lacson to sign and issue to the ISAFP to allow government intelligence agents to go over any bank account or property the senator might hold or own.

The waiver listed the numbers of Lacson’s alleged bank accounts and the names of at least 18 banks in Hong Kong, the United States, and Canada.

Corpus said the waiver would allow his men to check documents "including but not limited to" the purchase of two vehicles and the establishment of businesses in California, all allegedly done by Lacson.

Corpus said "it is a matter of national security" for the ISAFP to gather enough evidence to pin down Lacson whom he accused of having links with a Hong Kong-based international drug syndicate.

"We are investigating their activities in drug trafficking," he said. "And since drugs are a threat to national security, it is our duty to protect the country from any threats involving national security. If we don’t give attention to this problem now, we might wake up one day under a narco-state or wherein narco-politics prevail."

Corpus said the leader of the drug syndicate, whom he identified as Kim Wong, had been "using his influence" to get temporary restraining orders (TRO) to prevent Lacson’s prosecution for the alleged kidnapping of Chinese nationals and the killing of members of the Kuratong Baleleng robbery gang.

"Our information is that they are using Kim Wong to influence the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals as well as the Manila Regional Trial Court," he said.

Corpus said Wong is the Hong Kong Triad’s contact man here and that Lacson has been allegedly "facilitating the entry of illegal drugs into the country."

"The charges we filed against Lacson were issued TROs, like the Kuratong Baleleng case, for which we have filed criminal charges a long time ago," he said. "We have the witnesses who testified that Lacson ordered the killing."

The government has strong evidence to charge in court Lacson and his wife, Alice; and ousted President Estrada and Sen. Luisa Estrada, Corpus added.

Meanwhile, Sen. Blas Ople said yesterday the use of military intelligence to go on a "witch hunt" against opposition leaders is "culpable violation of the Constitution," which could cause President Arroyo’s impeachment. – With reports from Christina Mendez, Aurea Calica, Mayen Jaymalin, Sandy Araneta, Romel Bagares