His arrival was as swift as his departure! Former fugitive Senator Panfilo Lacson arrived in the Philippines via Cebu International Airport from an undisclosed location. Bureau of Immigration officials were mum on the actual immigration stamps on the Senators passport to determine where he was hiding but indicated that he got off from a flight that originated in HK. On whether it was a connecting flight from Europe, they remained quite.
In a live press conference today, Lacson admitted that he hid and became a fugitive from the unfair administration of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Yes, I evaded the law because I knew I was innocent and was not going to get a fair treatment under her administration. “I thank the media for respecting my privacy and enabling me to spend the weekend with my family in peace. I went to the grave of my parents and went to church. After, I played with my apo’s”. – Lacson said.
He also indicated that he was not allied with this government as these were only indicated in news reports. This is the perception that everybody would want to have based on the current state of affairs of the Administration vis the impeachment of the Ombudsman in the Senate. They would need more Senators on their side to finally impeach Guttierrez.
The truth may be far from what is being written in the press if it were based on the history of Panfilo Lacson. He is supported by a number of rich families “oligarchs” chief among them is Tony Boy Cojuangco, the first cousin of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino. Under the Estrada Presidency, Panfila Lacson was given a free ride on the surveys of Pulse Asia. He did not pay for any single survey and yet included in all of them as instructed by Tony Boy. How could he own a place in Ayala Alabang with his pay as a police general or his salary as a Senator. That is unless he pocketed political contributions from the oligarchs for his failed presidential bid. Or, was there also “pabaon” in the PNP?
According to sources many of the oligarchs would rather have Lacson on their side and in his good graces as they are scared of him. His connections in the intelligence community and government infrastructure is intact and these moles provide him all the information. His position in the Senate merely provides the cover. Furthermore, are our laws subject to the interpretation of those who are in power only where for political convenience somebody can get away with not following the procedures of the law? So does it mean to say that the Ombudsman is being impeached because the current administration wants its own lawyers as an Ombudsman or as a Supreme Court Justice. Talaga bang weather weather even in the application of procedures of the law?
His arrival is a hard pill to swallow for Secretary Leila De Lima. It is a lump in the throat of the no-nonsense DOJ Secretary who almost lost her job for pursuing the case against the fugitive Senator.
The question that will haunt us now is simple. Are our Senators and Congressmen above the law? Are there 2 separate laws applied for the normal Filipino citizen and another special law set for the powerful and rich?
These are questions that need to be answered. If the supreme court overturns the Court of Appeals decision, will Lacson run again?
No matter what he says, no matter how much his allies defend him, he fled from the Philippines for a mere procedure of the law. He could have had the opportunity to defend himself under the judicial system, but his arrogance prevented him from doing so.
Malacanang is happy that Lacson is back. But should they really be so? Remember Lacson is a dog that bites his own master. Look, he even said Estrada had ordered the killing of Dacer.
Lacson is for Lacson and all should be duly advised.
San Lorenzo Village Monitor 