Dacers hit Senate custody of Lacson

THE daughters of slain publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer on Tuesday expressed strong objections to the proposal for the Senate to take custody of Senator Panfilo Lacson should he decide to surrender.

Dacer family lawyer Demetrio Custodio said they are also balking at Lacson’s proposal for him to just be placed on house arrest even though the prosecution witness, Cezar Mancao II, found no reason to oppose it.

“The offense for which Senator Lacson is charged does not allow for Senate custody since the penalty is more than six years. No one is above the law and Senator Lacson should not be an exception,” Custodio told reporters in an interview at the DOJ.

He said Lacson is in the same plane as that of fellow Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who himself is in detention for the coup d’ etat charge lodged against him before the Makati Regional Trial Court for his role in the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny.

“Senator Trillanes is in jail despite his election to the Senate in 2007. Why should Senator Lacson be different? In any case, it not up to us. It is up to court to decide his fate,” he added.

The lawyer further said any surrender on the part of Lacson should be unconditional, being a fugitive from justice who must be behind bars while the criminal case is still being heard. He said that Lacson cannot hide behind his cloak of parliamentary immunity.

The proposal to have Lacson placed under Senate custody was made by his former classmate and friend, Senator Gregorio Honasan.

Dacer’s daughters -- Carina, Sabina, Emily, and Amparo -- make known their opposition after the Department of Foreign Affairs effectively cancelled Lacson’s passport in a bid to step up government efforts to arrest him. (JCV/Sunnex)

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