Lacson claims former police officer given P150M

FORMER police officer Cezar Mancao, who implicated Sen. Panfilo Lacson in the abduction and slaying of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito, was reportedly paid P150 million as indicated by a check unearthed by the senator.

Lacson, during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance, said the P150 million check was deposited last year to Mancao’s bank account 00215008606. Mancao was Lacson’s aide when he headed the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force.

At the hearing, the senator questioned Vicente Aquino, executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, regarding the check. Lacson said he couldn’t tell if the check was authentic.

“May sagot po ako diyan. Mamaya ko na sasabihin,” Aquino told Lacson.

After the hearing, the senator said Mancao did own the bank account but he did not say who paid the P150 million.

“Abangan ang susunod na kabanata,” Lacson said.

Lacson came out of hiding early this year after the Court of Appeals quashed the criminal complaint filed against him in connection with the Dacer-Corbito killings. He maintained his innocence, claiming that he was persecuted by the previous administration.

Police superintendent Michael Ray Aquino, another Lacson aide at the PAOCTF,  cleared the senator from the crime, saying Lacson did not order the abduction and killing of Dacer.