‘Fugitive from injustice’

AFTER 14 months of absence, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has finally emerged from hiding, following the clearing of charges against him by the Court of Appeals.
Two days after his return, Sen. Lacson lamented his grievances against the government and said that at some point while he was regarded as a fugitive, he had the sinking feeling that he would not be able to obtain justice, even from the Aquino administration.
He claimed that the supposed political alliance between him and President Benigno Aquino III was only “in the papers.” He also denied getting any help from the Philippine National Police nor from National Bureau of Investigation Director Magtanggol Gatdula, who used to be his subordinate in the now-defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force.
“For 13 months, I was a fugitive from injustice… For 13 months I lived the life of a prisoner outside a prison cell… I had only one rule to follow. Do not get caught,” Lacson said.
In a statement he made before he entertained questions from the press, Lacson said that “there were frequent moments that I felt the persecution had never stopped even after a new administration [had taken] over the reins of power.”
“All I was asking for is a fair share of justice, correct its miscarriage and trim the excesses of the past regime,” he added.
He was particularly infuriated when Justice Secretary Leila De Lima stuck to the decision of  having him captured despite the nullification of his arrest warrant by the Court of Appeals.
Meanwhile, Sec. De Lima is still after Lacson’s coddlers during his 14-month period of hiding.
“I think he really owes it to the people to explain, how was he able to do that – move from one country to another with a cancelled passport – because it’s already beyond him as it also goes into the integrity of certain processes and systems,” she said.
She reasons that as a senator, Lacson should explain his whereabouts to the public. But Lacson has refused to reveal the identities of those who have helped him.
An official from the Bureau of Immigration said that Lacson’s travel document, which he used to return home, might have been released by the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong.
De Lima has yet to decide whether she will order a reinvestigation of the Dacer-Corbito case or challenge the decision of the Court of Appeals before the Supreme Court.
Malacañang, on the other hand, has denied persecuting Lacson. Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said that De Lima’s action contradicts with speculation that the Palace had anything to do with the return of the senator.
Lacson has also assured that he would be impartial on the trial of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez when the Senate convenes as an impeachment court on May 9. He has shunned speculations that his comeback had anything to do with the Ombudsman’s conviction and that there was no deal with the Aquino administration. He also claims that he has never seen the evidence, nor the articles of impeachment.
With the series of events that have ensued — the clearing of charges against Sen. Lacson by the Court of Appeals and the progression of the impeachment proceedings vs Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez — it is quite difficult for the public to decipher whom to trust and believe. While it is clear that an ongoing discord exists among our government leaders, the best solution would still be to go through due process, one step at a time.
Sen. Lacson has removed the scarlet letter off him and is once again, presumed innocent — at least for now. But he still has some major explaining to do regarding his prolonged disappearance. While his resurfacing may prove timely for the Ombudsman’s trial in the Senate, public confidence on his credibility still remains on the rocks.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek Mar 30-April 1, 2011 Sec A pg. 6)