Not Gringo, Lacson for US seminar

Though they had military and police backgrounds, Senators Gregorio Honasan and Panfilo Lacson won’t be attending an anti-terrorism seminar in the United States.

Instead, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel and Senators Juan Flavier and Francis Pangilinan are the ones leaving for Washington, D to attend the Anti-Terrorism Assistance Program’s Financial Underpinnings of Terrorism Senior Seminar of the US State Department on Aug. 6-8.

It turned out that the US Embassy, in its invitation to the Senate, requested that the chamber refrain from sending attendees "who are the subject of pending criminal and/or civil cases, especially those cases involving human rights violations."

The US Embassy also deemed ineligible those "associated with persons indicted for war crimes, and/or engaged in corrupt and criminal practices."

Honasan and Lacson were earlier ordered arrested for allegedly having a hand in the May 1 siege on Malacañang. Both evaded arrest and were not formally charged. — Aurea Calica