Lacson, Corpus showdown seen

Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Army Col. Victor Corpus will face off at the Senate today, when senators question the chief of the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) on his allegations that the former Philippine National Police chief is involved in kidnapping and drug trafficking.

At the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, lawyer Sharon Abila, branch clerk of court, said that contrary to Corpus’ claim, Judge Ma. Theresa Yadao had not yet issued a warrant for Lacson’s arrest in connection with the May 1995 killing of 11 members of the Kuratong Baleleng robbery gang.

"The reports (about the issuance of warrant of arrest) should be corrected," she said. "There was no truth to that because of the temporary restraining order (TRO) the Court of Appeals issued two months ago."

The TRO has "no time frame" and that its "effectivity is indefinite," she added.

The showdown was initiated by Sen. Robert Barbers, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, after he called the hearing to a give Corpus a forum to substantiate his allegations and for Lacson to deny them and present his defense.

Barbers told The STAR yesterday the inquiry will be a challenge to Corpus as it would allow him to present evidence to back up his claims.

"The investigation will always end in aid of legislation," he said. "We will enact remedial measures for the protection of everybody being charged maliciously."

Barbers said the senators will also grill Corpus on why he mistakenly showed media a photograph of lawyer Stephen Villaflor, Barber’s deputy chief of staff, and identified him as Kim Wong, the businessman with alleged close ties to Lacson, and whom Corpus accused of being a drug lord.

"Such mistake caused paranoia among senators and the Senate staff and employees since they were all possibly under surveillance by the Intelligence Services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines," he said.

On the other hand, Senate President Franklin Drilon said "it was about time" Corpus presented before the Senate the evidence he had collected against Lacson.

"If the evidence is there, Lacson would have to submit a credible defense," he said. "I’m asking ISAFP chief Corpus to come to the Senate and bring the evidence that he has in all of these crimes so that opportunity would be given to those who are charged to reply. That’s elementary due process."

Drilon said Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes will be invited to a question hour on Tuesday next week so the Senate could clarify issues relating to the surveillance of Villaflor.

Barbers said Reyes, as the superior of Corpus, will have to explain why the ISAFP had placed Villaflor under surveillance when no charges have been filed against him in court.

Barbers said his committee has also summoned Angelo "Ador" Mawanay, a former civilian agent of the disbanded Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, and Armed Forces chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva.

"I suppose majority, if not all the senators, will be in attendance so many questions will be asked," he said. "They will also be in shame if they do not show up. The senators are prepared to ask them questions."

Meanwhile, Lacson told The STAR yesterday that Wong fled the country last Wednesday for fear ISAFP agents would kidnap him and force him to admit allegations of heading a drug trafficking syndicate.

Speaking at a weekly breakfast forum at the Holiday Inn hotel in Manila, Lacson said he spoke with Wong, who is in Xiamen, China, over the telephone Wednesday night. He said Wong told him that he got scared when ISAFP agents tried to enter his house two nights ago to get copies of his photograph.

"What kind of intelligence work are they doing?" Lacson asked. "Instead of conducting a surveillance operation, they went to the person to ask for his photograph. Wong could just be paranoid or he may have basis in believing that he will be snatched by the ISAFP. This is the reason why he fled the country."

Former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez, Wong’s lawyer, said in a statement yesterday his client is thinking of filing criminal and damage suits against "all those responsible" for besmirching his reputation and irreparably damaging his business and legitimate means of livelihood.

"Colonel Corpus has made the reckless accusation that Mr. Kim Wong is a drug lord and wields influence over judges and justices of our courts because, as Colonel Corpus claims, Mr. Kim Wong was able to obtain TROs and/or injunctions from the courts in favor of Senator Lacson," read the statement.

"This a brazen lie. We challenge Colonel Corpus to indicate the docket numbers of these cases and the names of judges and justices who were influenced by Mr. Kim Wong into issuing TROs and injunctions in favor of Senator Lacson," he said.

In another development, the opposition dismissed yesterday the latest statement of Corpus linking Jude Estrada, a son of ousted President Joseph Estrada, to the illegal drugs trade.

Jesus Crispin Remulla, spokesman for the Partido ng Masang Pilipino, said in a statement Corpus’ "latest adventure into fantasy land" through his umbrage against Jude betrays Malacañang’s "duplicity" in dealing with the military intelligence chief.

"From the ways things are developing, it is now clear this so-called gag order is meant to satisfy some sections in the military who are now deeply embarrassed by Corpus’ reckless and sweeping accusations," read the statement. "Corpus has Malacañang’s thumbs-up sign to proceed with his demonizing job." — With reports from Mike Frialde, Marichu Villanueva