Lina, police generals dare Lacson: Show evidence of jueteng payoffs

Show us proof.

This was the message of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. to Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday after the former national police chief came out with a list of police officials allegedly on the payroll of jueteng operators in Luzon.

Lina said the National Police Commission (Napolcom), which he heads, will be meeting en banc to discuss the allegations, which Lacson made in a privilege speech at the Senate the other day.

The DILG chief said, however, the list is not new, having come out in a newspaper last month. He pointed out that the accusations have already been refuted by Philippine National Police chief Director General Leandro Mendoza.

"This is not something new. I sent the newspaper clipping to General Mendoza and he refuted it by presenting the PNP’s accomplishment report for the overall anti-illegal gambling campaign," he said following a meeting at Malacañang yesterday.

Lina said if Lacson really wants to assist the PNP drive, "the good senator should furnish us with the necessary evidence."

"This way, we can impose the necessary sanctions against those officials, who can also have their day in court," he said.

Mendoza ordered a probe into the allegations but at the same time dared Lacson to produce evidence.

"Senator Lacson may have basis of his own in coming out with what he knows about illegal gambling activities. We trust that the good senator will share the rest of the information with us," Mendoza said.

Lacson claimed PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group head Director Nestorio Gualberto and intelligence chief Director Roberto Delfin received P1.8 million in payoffs from jueteng operators in six regions in Luzon.

Also named in the list of protectors and financiers were National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Reynaldo Wycoco; Senior Superintendent Pedro Tango, commander of the interior department’s Task Force Jericho, and the son and brother of former Ilocos Sur governor Luis "Chavit" Singson.

(In the list that came out yesterday, the name of the alleged financier for the second district of Ilocos Norte should have been Richard Cua and not Richard Chua. The STAR apologizes for the mistake.)

Singson challenged Lacson to shed off his parliamentary immunity so the necessary charges can be filed against him for his recent allegations.

"He must not hide behind his immunity as senator," the former governor said.

Wycoco vehemently denied Lacson’s accusations, saying the senator may be trying to get even after the NBI looked into his possible involvement in several cases.

"He was preparing that privilege speech a month ago. For maximum effect, he thought it should coincide with the anniversary of the NBI. The timing was perfect but the script was bad. He accused me in a privilege speech so that he will be safe from libel. It was truly vintage Lacson," Wycoco said.

The NBI celebrated its 65th anniversary yesterday in simple ceremonies at its headquarters in Manila.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Domingo Reyes, PNP regional director for Southern Tagalog, dared Lacson to prove his allegations that he and other ranking police officials were receiving grease money from jueteng operations.

"If he can prove that I have been receiving money, I will not stay any minute longer at this post. I myself will ask Secretary Lina and the PNP chief to relieve me immediately," he said at a press conference at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba, Laguna yesterday.

Reyes said he cannot understand why Lacson "would hit the very institution he himself led."

"I hold him in high esteem, being my former boss... if he can prove his allegations, then I have lost my credibility to lead and therefore should not stay at my position a single minute," he said.

In Pangasinan, newly appointed police director Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Mendoza described Lacson’s latest accusations as "malicious."

"It is malicious to say that I am receiving something when it is not based on factual accounts," he said. – Marichu Villanueva, Jaime Laude, Perseus Echeminada, Mike Frialde, Ding Cervantes, Rene Alviar, Eva de Leon, Cesar Ramirez, Charlie Lagasca