US gov’t OKs extradition of Michael Ray Aquino

MANILA, Philippines— The US government has approved the extradition to the Philippines of former Senior Supt. Michael Ray Aquino, a key suspect in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima announced on Monday.

De Lima said that she has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to assign agents to escort Michael Ray Aquino, one of the suspects in the killing of veteran publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito, back to the Philippines on or before July 3.

In a one-page Memorandum, De Lima told NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula to assign at least two agents to escort Aquino back to the country and submit their names to Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras III who will inform the US-DOj Attaché.

Speaking with reporters, De Lima said the US Department of Justice attaché to Manila Robert Courtney III sent a letter to Chief State Counsel Ricardo Paras III informing the Philippine government that the US State Department has approved the surrender warrant for Aquino, erstwhile close aide of Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

“It is my understanding that Michael Ray Aquino must be removed from the US on or before July 3, 2011,” Courtney said.

“Because of the logistics involved, we request that your office advise us regarding the pick-up schedule as soon as possible so we may coordinate with the Marshals,” Courtney added.

The US appellate court earlier affirmed the findings of the New Jersey district court, which found no legal basis to stop Aquino’s extradition.

Aquino, a former police officer at the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, is detained at the Hudson Country jail in New Jersey.

Courtney said that Aquino would be brought to Los Angeles from New Jersey before his extradition to the Philippines.

“I hope he (Aquino) will cooperate with our reinvestigation of the (Dacer-Corbito) case,” De Lima said.

Along with Lacson, Aquino was among those indicted for the November 2000 killing of public relations expert Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.

Lacson, an ally of President Aquino, has returned to the country after the Court of Appeals cleared him of complicity in the twin killings.