MANILA, Philippines — Why did it take 15 years before sacked Police Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto exposed the alleged drug links of Michael Yang?
This question lingers as Senator Panfilo Lacson showed curiosity on Thursday about the motive behind Acierto’s accusation against Yang, one of President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic advisers.
“Yung pag-a-accuse ngayon at saka yung dokumento, parang suspect na yun e dahil ano ang motive?” Lacson said during the Kapihan sa Senado.
He said Acierto had all the opportunity to come out and release an intelligence report purportedly showing Yang’s alleged drug link when the Senate blue ribbon committee was investigating the P11-billion shabu shipment last year.
“Bakit hindi niya ginawa? Bakit ngayon siya lumabas? Nagtataka nga rin ako. OK, nagtatago siya, pero ano motive niya in coming out and accusing President Rodrigo Duterte with a document that he already showed to several officials?” Lacson asked.
Acierto, who was linked to the shabu shipment, appeared twice in the Senate probe— one in an open hearing and another in an executive session— before he went into hiding.
Before disappearing, the dismissed official met with Lacson to discuss the intel report about Yang’s drug links.
In this Sunday, March 24, 2019, photo, former Police Senior Superintendent Eduardo Acierto displays a copy of his police report he allegedly submitted but not acted upon by police higher-ups and Senate probes during a clandestine news conference for the first time with a select group of journalists somewhere in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. Acierto, who was assigned in various units of the police anti-illegal drugs for 18 years, is now in hiding after being included in President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called “matrix” list of persons allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
The senator recalled Acierto telling him that Yang’s name came up when they conducted an anti-illegal operation in Davao in 2004.
“Pero hindi direct ang implication kay Yang. Parang may layers pa,” Lacson said.
“Sabi ko sa kanya (Acierto), kung 2004 bakit di [kayo] nag-file ng kaso? Kayo nag-ooperate? Di niya rin maibigay ang nakaka-satisfy na explanation,” Lacson said.
Lacson noted that in 2004, Duterte was mayor of Davao.
“Sa akin naman, what took you so long between 2004 noong mayor pa si President Duterte [and 2019], ni sa imagination walang mag-iisip na maging president,” he further said.
While he could not say if Acierto’s allegations were politically motivated, the senator noted that many of those seeking a probe on the issue are either from the opposition or Liberal Party members.
READ: Acierto accusations deserve probe
Lacson though also saw the need to have it investigated put closure and to remove any cloud of doubt./ac