‘Probe Ping for undeclared US property’

The Office of the Ombudsman was urged yesterday to investigate former Philippine National Police chief Panfilo Lacson for allegedly violating the law requiring government officials to honestly declare their assets and liabilities.

In making the appeal, Rep. Wigberto Tañada (LP, Quezon) said Lacson allegedly failed to declare in his annual statement of assets and liabilities (SAL) from 1996 up to 2000 his house at 1011 Laguna Seca Loop, Chula Vista City in California.

"He should explain why he did not include such property in his SAL," he said.

Lacson is former head of the Philippine National Police and the controversial Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force. He is now an opposition senatorial candidate.

Reached by The STAR for comment, former Philippine Tourism Authority general manager Lito Banayo, Lacson’s campaign manager, said it is not true that the former PNP chief did not include the California property in his 1996 SAL.

"It’s there. If they bothered to read his statement of assets and liabilities, they would have found it," he said.

Banayo said the accusation against Lacson is an old story cooked up by his nemesis, Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya, whom the former PNP chief had accused of involvement in the kidnapping of a Taiwanese.

"It is being recycled to put Ping Lacson down," he added.

Tañada, a senatorial candidate of the ruling People Power Coalition (PPC), said besides asking the former PNP chief to explain his failure to declare his California property, the Ombudsman should also look into Lacson’s sources of financing for such a pricey asset.

He said Lacson could also have violated the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act.

The favorite policeman of ousted President Joseph Estrada fell in the recent Social Weather Stations survey from within the winning circle of 13 candidates to the 15th to 16th slot.