Lacson's dream: To arrest Lucio Co

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Panfilo Lacson has a dream: to arrest and send to jail Lucio Co, a known friend of President Estrada, on smuggling charges.

In one of his rare candid moments with reporters, Lacson said authorities have long suspected Co of being one of the country’s big-time smugglers.

However, he said police officers have not come up with evidence to pin down Co.

"I am dreaming of the day of confiscating the (smuggled) goods and linking him (Co) with the evidence," Lacson said. "Reports of him being involved in smuggling have been coming in for a long time."

Lacson said he is now determined to investigate Co, who allegedly owns two duty free shops in the Subic Bay freeport. Having seen Co many times with the President at Malacañang, he said he did nothing because there was no evidence to link him to smuggling.

"It’s a matter of going after him, especially the goods and the paper trail. We can only arrest (him) if there’s a warrant and if there’s evidence," he stressed.

Co is widely believed to be one of Mr. Estrada’s alleged cronies whom former Finance Secretary Edgardo Espiritu was referring to when he told the Senate impeachment tribunal last week that he knew some big-time smugglers who even go to the presidential palace.

Espiritu said these presidential cronies who engage in smuggling were one reason why he decided to leave the government early last year. He refused, though, to name these alleged smugglers for fear of his safety.

Lacson said the President has issued orders to law enforcement agencies to go after criminal syndicates and smugglers, especially those reportedly close to him or his relatives.

"The President’s instructions are clear against smugglers, no matter who they are and no matter how close they are to the President," he said. "All the more we should go after those people close to him (the President). But then again we have to gather evidence."

Meanwhile, the alleged smuggling activities of some people close to Mr. Estrada are expected to keep the heat in the ongoing impeachment trial of the President tomorrow when Customs Commissioner Renato Ampil takes the witness stand.

Ampil confirmed that he will be testifying at the impeachment trial but declined to discuss anything related to his testimony on alleged corruption in the bureau.

Customs intelligence chief Angel Africa said the bureau has never coddled any smuggler and had, in fact, charged alleged bigtime smugglers last year.

Africa noted former Customs Commissioner Nelson Tan had given them a list of 30 suspected smugglers to be investigated. Among those in the list were Lucio Co, Johnny Sy, Robert Uy, Ruel Tolentino, Blandino Tolentino, Jun Manimtim, Zeny Dayanghirang, Jovy Castillo, Jojo Agana, Edwin Santos, Lina Flores, Jenny Chua, a certain Bombit, Roland Balao, Jenny Laurente, Noel Aro, Nilo Casas, a certain Doc Mendoza, Jerry Yap, Raffy and Girlie Apolonio, Meg Santos Enciso, Connie Resurreccion, Jun "Intsik" Cruz, Willy Balajadia and brokerage firms identified only as MD Laylo, EA Santos, Cybernet, Vexim and Exodus.

Africa said these firms were investigated but only a few of them were charged.

"We had five or six of those in the list charged with various cases at the Department of Justice," he said. "But I’m sorry, I could no longer recall their names." – With Jerry Botial