Cavite chief fiscal dies of heart attack

MANILA, Philippines - Cavite provincial prosecutor Emmanuel “Manny” Velasco died of heart attack before dawn yesterday.

Velasco, a son of former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director and Cavite Governor Epimaco Velasco, was declared dead on arrival at the Divine Grace Hospital at 4 a.m. He was 54.

A former newspaper reporter before becoming a fiscal, Velasco was known for handling the preliminary investigations of controversial cases in the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Among these cases were the enforced disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos in April 2007 and the rebellion charges against the 36 military officers and civilians – including re-elected Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV – involved in the 2007 Manila Peninsula standoff.

After his promotion as provincial fiscal, Velasco continued to handle controversial cases. In January, he investigated the shooting rampage that killed eight persons and wounded nine others in Cavite.

Just last week, he investigated the standoff outside the Revilla compound.

Velasco, head of the Presidential Task Force Against Media Harassment, has faced stressful circumstances outside his job. Last year, he was found guilty of libel by a Manila court and was sentenced to one year in prison – a decision he was able to appeal. He had also revealed receiving death threats from a businessman who was facing falsification charges.

Before finishing his law degree from the University of Sto. Tomas, Velasco worked as a reporter for Malaya and had covered the defense and police beats.

The DOJ and its prosecutorial arm, National Prosecution Service (NPS), said Velasco’s death was a big loss to the department.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima described him as one of the “standout members” of the NPS.

“His reputation for being dedicated, to the point of being tenacious and stubborn, especially about his duties as a public servant, preceded him,” she said.

Velasco’s wake is in their farmhouse in Bucal, Tanza.