A Manila court issued Friday an arrest warrant against opposition Senator Panfilo Lacson who is now considered a fugitive and faces detentiont as soon as he returns to the Philippines. Lacson left Manila for Hong Kong in January but his whereabouts have remained a mystery to the authorities and to his own colleagues in the Senate. There were reports that Lacson proceeded to Australia from Hong Kong. However, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said he may still be in Hong Kong. A Manila regional trial court judge issued the arrest warrant for Lacson for his alleged involvement in the double murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and Decer's driver, Emmanuel Corbito, in November 2000. Judge Myra Fernandez of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 issued the arrest order nearly a month after two counts of murder were filed by the Department of Justice against Lacson for allegedly masterminding the twin killings. Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said the government now considers Lacson a fugitive. “The law is after him now,” Devanadera said. She said the government may suspend Lacson's passport and move for his arrest and extradition. The NBI earlier said it will immediately ask the Interpol to issue a red-flag notice against the senator. Devanadera made it clear that only Lacson has been ordered arrested by the court since the daughters of the murder victim have not filed any complaints against other people who may also be involved in the crime. Former president Joseph Estrada, who is seeking reelection, has also been linked to the double murders. According to a court witness, Lacson took the order to kill Dacer from “bigote (moustache),” who is believed to be Estrada. But the former president has vehemently denied any role in the killings, saying he is a godfather of one of Dacer's children. The justice department said they cannot recommend the filing of charges against Estrada since there are no complaints against him in connection with the killings. Officials said Lacson cannot invoke parliamentary immunity because the penalty of the charge against him is more than six years. Article 6, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution states that: “A senator or member of the House of Representatives shall, in all offenses punishable by not more than six years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest while the Congress is in session.” However, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said Lacson's lawyers can ask for bail even though the double murder case is non-bailable. “His case is now in the court, and it is up to the lawyers what to do with it. A double-murder case is still bailable if the evidence is incomplete,” he said. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile assured that the Senate will not interfere with the case. “The Senate will see to it that his rights are respected and that no harm will come to him, but we could not interfere with the enforcement of that warrant because that is the function of our judicial system,” Enrile said. He said even if Lacson is arrested, he may still perform his role as senator and will still be entitled to his prerogatives as a member of Congress even if he is not present during session. “He would be in the same category of (detained Senator Antonio) Trillanes. There will be less senators who can attend the session and answer to the roll call. Since we are 22, now, we will be reduced to 21,” Enrile said.
