Lacson looking for 'friendly' judge - DOJ fiscal

MANILA, Philippines –  Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who is the subject of a global manhunt for two counts of murder, is simply looking for an ally in court when he filed motions asking one judge after another to inhibit themselves from trying his case, according to a prosecutor from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“It’s all about disagreement with the rulings by these judges. Obviously, Senator Lacson did not agree with the judges’ rulings, that’s why he was quick in filing motions seeking to inhibit them from hearing his double-murder case,” State Prosecutor Peter Ong, a member of the government prosecution panel handling the case, said.

Ong was interviewed by reporters following the latest hearing on Lacson’s motion for reconsideration after the latest judge to handle the double-murder case, Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Thelma Bunyi Medina, threw out his petition to inhibit herself from presiding over the trial.

Ong criticized Lacson for forum shopping for a “friendly judge” to try the charges against him in connection with the killing of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito in 2000.

He said Lacson’s motions to inhibit first former Manila RTC Judge Myra Fernandez, now Court of Appeals justice, and Medina were not a question of the partiality or impartiality of either judge.

Ong said there is a pattern after getting an unfavorable ruling from the court, Lacson was quick to file a motion to inhibit the judge who issued the unfavorable ruling.

“I brought this matter to the attention of the court in (asking) Judge Medina not to reconsider her earlier ruling (dismissing the motion to inhibit filed against her by Lacson),” he said.

Ong said disagreement with the judge’s ruling cannot be used as basis for seeking the judge’s inhibition.

Medina, in dismissing Lacson’s motion for her voluntary inhibition, said the lawmaker has not shown evidence that she was biased when she issued her orders dated July 6 and 23.

As for Fernandez, who issued a warrant for Lacson’s arrest in February, Ong said there is enough basis for the warrant.

The National Bureau of Investigation, which is under the DOJ, has raided three houses – one in Quezon City and two in Tanuan, Batangas – where Lacson was reported to be hiding, but NBI agents failed to catch him.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the manhunt for Lacson has been expanded to cover his coddlers, some of them politicians.

The NBI has warned Lacson’s coddlers they will also be charged if it is proven that they have been protecting the fugitive lawmaker.