EDITORIAL - Face the music

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Panfilo Lacson might yet turn out to be innocent of accusations that he was involved, if only through command responsibility, in the brutal murders of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito in 2000. But innocence, like guilt, can be established only by a court of law. When an accused evades arrest, he tends to give weight to testimonies against him, and the likelihood of his conviction becomes stronger.

The courts have denied Lacson’s appeal to quash his arrest warrant, and President Aquino has correctly left the matter to the courts. This case has nothing to do with legislation, and Lacson should stop trying to seek protection from his congressional colleagues. Neither should senators try to give special treatment to a man who is wanted for complicity in kidnapping, torture and twin murders, which have nothing to do with a senator’s job.

Many people believe Lacson fled – and flee is the proper word – when the arrest warrant was issued in the previous administration because he did not think he could get due process during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Lacson was a staunch critic of Arroyo and her husband; he was also seen as an archenemy of one of her most loyal aides, Reynaldo Berroya, who served time at the national penitentiary for kidnapping due to Lacson’s crime-busting efforts. There was no way Lacson would have allowed himself to be arrested and held without bail in the previous administration.

Berroya is now out of government and a new administration has taken over – one that Lacson can trust to give him a fair hearing, if not the special treatment that he seeks. The longer Lacson evades justice, the greater the odds that the courts will give credence to the testimonies of prosecution witnesses, in particular his former police aide Cezar Mancao. The Aquino administration has canceled Lacson’s passport. If Lacson wants to clear his name, the best way for him to do it is to come home and face the music.