MANILA, Philippines - The chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to let other law enforcement agencies take over the security of former police officer Cezar Mancao, the prosecution's witness in the Dacer-Corbito killings in 2000.
NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula said he wrote to DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima to ask her to transfer the duty of securing Mancao to other agencies. He reasoned that Mancao has repeatedly accused him of being biased for Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who is accused of masterminding the double murder.
The family of slain publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer, meanwhile, favored the move to transfer the security of Mancao. Atty. Demetrio Custodio, lawyer of the Dacer family, said it would be better if other agencies secure Mancao since his testimony is very important to the prosecution.
De Lima said she will meet with all security officials involved in the case to discuss Mancao's security.
Last week, the NBI briefly detained Mancao when he went to the bureau to get some personal things.
Roel Lasala, the NBI's deputy director for intelligence service, explained that Mancao's coverage in the government's Witness Protection Program (WPP) has been suspended due to "serious breach" of WPP conditions. He explained that since Mancao's WPP coverage was suspended, it was only legal for the NBI to take the former police officer into custody.
De Lima later confirmed that the NBI really has "legal custody" of Mancao since he remains a suspect in the Dacer-Corbito killings. She, however, clarified that Mancao is also considered by the government as a witness, which is why he was allowed to enter the WPP.
Mancao went to the United States in 2001 after he was included by the NBI as one of the suspects in the kidnapping and murder of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.
Last year, Mancao agreed to be extradited to the Philippines after executing an affidavit, pinning his former boss, now Sen. Panfilo Lacson, in the murder cases.
Lacson and Mancao worked together in the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF). The senator left the country in January after being charged with 2 counts of murder for the killings.
