Mancao back in RP today; Lacson prepares defense

MANILA, Philippines – Heavily armed National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) security men will whisk former police senior superintendent Cezar Mancao II to the NBI headquarters in Manila upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport today.

Awaiting the arrival of his former protégé, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he is preparing his legal defense against “Malacañang’s persecution.”

“This is probably the payback for the many exposés on corruption I did in the Senate,” he said in Filipino.

The retired Philippine National Police chief said he is not afraid of facing the truth as he has nothing to do with the Dacer-Corbito murders.

“I cannot take it sitting down and I will avail of all legal remedies available under our judicial system,” he said.

Lacson said portions of the affidavit of Mancao, a principal suspect in the 2000 Dacer-Corbito murders, are “untrue,” referring to a claim that he had ordered that Transportation Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Berroya, a retired police general, be killed.

“So I hope when Colonel Mancao returns he will just stick to the truth,” he said.

Lacson said he has received information that a certain Alex Rellosa, who is now in the custody of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, will testify against him when the Dacer-Corbito case is reopened.

“I don’t know what they taught him to say,” he said. “I have no idea what statement he will give against me.” 

An NBI source said 200 armed NBI security men in a convoy of bullet-proof cars will secure Mancao from the NAIA to the NBI headquarters on Taft Avenue, Manila.

An additional 100 armed security men will be on standby at the NBI headquarters in case of any emergency, the source added.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said Mancao will not be allowed to give interviews to reporters as a press conference will be held at the NBI later.

“I instructed the NBI security group to meet Mancao in the airport,” he said.

“He will be immediately brought to the NBI. I instructed (NBI Director Nestor) Mantaring not to allow interviews in the airport.”

Gonzalez said he would meet with Mancao, his mother Reynalda Mancao and other family members at the NBI today.

“I’ll just go to the NBI to meet him,” he said.

“But I don’t want to talk to him at length because it might be misunderstood that I’m trying to teach him what to say.”

Gonzalez said he would assure Mancao of his safety and security, and that the government would move to declare him a state witness once he completes his testimony.

“I led more than spadework in this case,” he said. “I hope justice will really take its course because this (case) is my baby.”

Gonzalez said Mancao and another suspect, former senior superintendent Glenn Dumlao, could shed light on other cases similar to the Dacer-Corbito murders.

The killing of Dacer is linked to other controversial cases, he added.

A source said that for the duration of his testimony in the Dacer-Corbito case, Mancao will be staying in a fully furnished room inside the NBI headquarters.

“We cannot tell you exactly where he will be due to security reasons,” the source said.

The room will also have air conditioning, television, bed, receiving area, washing machine, toilet, the source added.

A glass window was replaced with a cemented wall for additional safety, the source said.

The source said NBI agents will have no access to Mancao’s room without clearance from higher-ups. 

“There should be clearance, including the family members of Mancao,” the source said. “But definitely, his mother would be allowed access to the room.”

The source said Mancao will have 24-hour security, which will be in three shifts.

Tight security will be imposed around the perimeter of the NBI headquarters and access to Mancao will be limited, the source added.

NBI personnel, except for security, the media and other visitors, will not be allowed to enter the NBI headquarters until Mancao has entered the compound  and settled inside his room, the source said.

Palace sees closure

Malacañang expressed hope that the Dacer-Corbito murder case would soon have some closure.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Mancao’s arrival would be considered a major development in the case.

“For one, if you are a member of the family (of the victims) of course you feel some degree of satisfaction that the case would be moving soon because the stumbling block was the absence of people who could help in the prosecution of the case,” he said.

Ermita said Gonzalez and the NBI have assured them that Mancao would be given adequate security upon his return today.

“Given the high profile personality of Mancao and the case where he is involved, you can be very sure that the security measure to be provided by government through the NBI would be quite adequate,” he said.

Ermita said the legal processes should be allowed to take its course, and the public should just wait for whatever Mancao has to say.

“We have to leave that to legal processes because it’s highly speculative for anyone to say the degree of involvement of anybody,” he said. – With Christina Mendez, Sandy Araneta, Marvin Sy