MANILA (Updated 12:34 p.m.) -- The family of slain publicist Salvador Dacer was happy with the cancellation of Senator Panfilo Lacson's regular and diplomatic passports.

In a television interview Saturday, Demetrio Custodio, lawyer of the Dacer family, said the family members were glad that their request was granted.

Custodio said their request was not done earlier because they still have to establish the fact that Lacson is hiding and evading arrest.

"Under the law, not anyone's passport can be cancelled unless the passport holder is hiding [from] some law," he said.

On Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) cancelled the regular and diplomatic passports of Lacson pursuant to the order of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18, which issued an arrest warrant against the senator on February upon Dacer family's request.

The DFA assured that the cancellation of Lacson's passports underwent due process, adding that Lacson's camp was given time to respond to its letters but failed.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Lacson's passport should be cancelled because he is already considered a fugitive.

Lacson left the country on January 5 even before the Manila RTC could resolve his pending motion for judicial determination of probable cause.

He is facing murder charges in connection to the killing of Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.

But with the cancellation of his passports Friday, the National Bureau of Investigation, which was tasked to arrest Lacson, can now easily locate the senator, as he can't anymore transfer from one place to another. (Sunnex)