State prosecutors Thursday filed two murder charges against Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson for the killings of a public relations man and his driver in November 2000. The Department of Justice (DOj) filed the two cases at the Manila Regional Trial Court after he was implicated by two former police officers in the killings of publicist Bubby Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said there was probable cause to file the murder cases against Lacson. Aside from Lacson, former President Joseph Estrada is also being implicated in the twin killings, but no charges have been filed against him yet. Lacson, a staunch critic of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, said he expected the DOJ to bring the matter to court but was hoping that the court would not find probable cause to indict him because the charges were based on “tenuous evidence.” “I already filed a motion for judicial determination of probable cause with the court. I'm hoping that the court will reverse DOJ on the issue of probable cause,” Lacson said in a text message to reporters. A lawyer said Lacson could not be arrested immediately just because a complaint had been filed against him. “First, the case will have to be raffled off. The judge, who will get the case, will study the information or the complaint to determine if there is a probable cause. If there is, the court will issue a warrant,” the lawyer said. State prosecutors Thursday asked the court to consolidate the fresh charges wih the double-murder case now being heard by the Manila RTC - Branch 18 under presiding judge Myrna Fernandez. Dacer and Corbito were kidnapped and killed on Nov. 24, 2000 allegedly by men from the Presidential Anti-Organized Task Force, then headed by Lacson, who was also the national police chief. Dacer and Cortibo were later taken to Indang, Cavite, where they were slain. In his testimony, Mancao tagged Lacson as the mastermind in the abduction and killing of Dacer and Corbito, allegedly upon the order of then President Joseph Estrada. Both Lacson and Estrada have repeatedly denied involvement in the killings. Senior State Prosecutor Peter Ong said Lacson was found to have conspired and acted with two other police officials to abduct Dacer and Corbito in Manila on Nov. 24. “There are so many evidence with regard to the killing and the abduction as manifested in the testimonies of the witnesses and the physical evidence which were gathered,” Ong said. Meanwhile, a motion to discharge Mancao as a state witness has been filed but it will only be resolved after the testimony of Dumlao is finished. The case is set to be raffled off Friday. “After the raffle, the judge will have 10 days to evaluate the records. If she is convinced with our findings, he/she can issue a warrant of arrest,” Ong said.
