Lacson says he considered cosmetic surgery

MANILA, Philippines—If Sen. Panfilo Lacson managed to elude authorities by a sheer “instinctive compass,” imagine how much more elusive he would have been with a different face.

Lacson Tuesday said he once toyed with the idea of cosmetic alteration to disguise himself from local and international law enforcement agencies hunting him in connection with the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

“It entered my mind,” he said in Filipino, but he admitted that the idea of embarrassment discouraged him. “Imagine if I changed my look and I was arrested. It would have been embarrassing.”

Lacson surfaced on Saturday after 13 months on the lam, looking fairer and healthier while managing to keep his 73-kilogram frame. He said he stayed fit by occasional walking even if he stayed indoors most of the time.

By his account, the former military and police officer learned a lot of household chores while staying with friends abroad. He also went as far as being his own barber. “Have you experienced or have you seen a person cutting his own hair?” he said.

On his way back to the Philippines, Lacson took a Cebu-bound Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong. He said he wore no disguise—shades, bonnet or hat—but met a number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on the same flight. He said some asked for photo-ops.
“Some greeted, others congratulated me saying, at least I was able to come home,” he said. “You can’t take (picture-taking) away from our people, especially the OFWs. They’re excited to be with someone they see on TV.”

Marketing

Lacson said he did not spend much while in hiding, owing to the support of friends in different locations.

“I just gave my share whenever we went marketing,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to have those who supported me before during my candidacy to be still here to open their doors to me, because the expenses were really big.”

From Cebu, he said he flew to Manila on an old private plane rented by a friend.

“It wasn’t new,” he said. “Clouds would seep in each time we went high. I thought my eardrums would burst. It was painful.”