Senator Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson disclosed that apart from the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, two other incumbent officials of the Aquino government had helped facilitate his return from hiding.
Lacson went in hiding in January 2010 even before a warrant of arrest was issued again him by a Manila court for his alleged involvement in the killings of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and driver, Emmanuel Corbito in 2000.
The senator only came out in March, 2011.
“There were at least 3 incumbent (officials) na tumulong sa akin (who helped me),” Lacson told reporters Wednesday without naming names.
Asked if Robredo was one of them, Lacson answered in the affirmative.
The senator had issued a statement thanking Robredo, who died in a plane crash last Saturday, for quietly helping him.
But Lacson immediately clarified that the three only helped him after the Court of Appeals (CA) nullified the arrest warrant, and not while he was in hiding.
“Doon lang naman sila tumulong noong lumabas na yung CA (They only helped me when the Court of Appeal’s [decision] came out),” he said.
“Kasi paglabas ng CA, sa tingin ko marapat lamang na payagan na akong makauwi tapos sila rin, sa pananaw nila pwede na talaga ako (Because when the CA [decision] came out, I think it’s just but right they allowed me to come home. Then from their part, they see it fit that I am allowed).”
“Pero kinontra nga ng kinontra (But it was opposed again and again). Well, true to her character, hindi naman talaga sya sa sumusunod sa order ng Korte (she doesn’t follow court orders),” Lacson said, apparently referring to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
Lacson said de Lima and Robero are both from the Bicol region.
This was probably the reason, the senator said, why Robredo had tried to approach de Lima and convince her to comply with the CA decision.