Palace dares Mancao to show proof of corruption in WPP

Cesar Mancao. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday challenged fugitive Cezar Mancao II to support his claims of corruption in the government’s witness protection program with evidence, and turn himself in.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Mancao had to substantiate his allegations that remained as “motherhood statements.”

“So far, he has only issued motherhood statements–that there is corruption in the Witness Protection Program. If he can produce evidence, certainly the DOJ will investigate it,” Lacierda said in a Malacañang briefing.

Lacierda said Mancao could better help the WPP if he turned himself in.

“If he really wants to help the program, then [he should] turn himself in and let us know. We will investigate,” he said.

Mancao earlier claimed to have knowledge of corruption involving WPP officials, but did not go into specifics.

Mancao escaped from the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila in the wee hours last Thursday, claiming he would be killed if he were transferred to the crowded Manila city jail.

A former police officer, he had implicated Senator Panfilo Lacson in the 2000 killings of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. He had asked to be allowed to turn state witness, but a lower court rejected this and ordered his transfer to the city jail.

His US-based wife, Maricar Mancao, appealed to the Aquino administration to provide protection for him, expressing fears that Lacson would do him in.

Lacierda said Mancao’s statement that Lacson was out to neutralize him was his claim.

“He was well protected in the NBI. So there was no issue … The reason why, according to him, that he escaped was because he was going to be transferred to the … Manila City Jail. But, obviously, that implies that he was under protective custody by the NBI,” he said.

The Department of Justice was set to terminate Mancao’s coverage under the WPP Monday “to preserve the integrity of the program,” but DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima vowed to convince the court not to transfer him to the city jail.

De Lima said Sunday she was now keeping tabs on NBI’s manhunt operations, admitting that Mancao’s lengthy radio and TV interviews shortly after his escape had been “embarrassing” to the government.

But in a radio interview last Thursday morning after his escape, Mancao told the hosts that he had spoken to De Lima for hours by phone and explained to her why he fled detention.

“Of course I’m so displeased and disheartened by the fact that Mancao, in being able to do media interviews, even on-cam interviews the other day without being tracked by us, is causing us a lot of embarrassment,” she said.

Lacierda said the government wasn’t being soft on Mancao. “We are going after him. We are not being soft on him that’s why there is a manhunt going on after him,” he said.