The arrest of five people posing as Palace officials in a P10-million extortion try on a party list group should be an eye-opener and warning for name-droppers, Malacañang said on Friday.
Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar also appealed to the public to be wary of such offers coming from people claiming to be from the Office of the President.
"Paalala natin sa kababayan natin kung may nagsasabing taga-Malacañang, humingi ng pangalan o business card o any form of identification. Kung may duda, ipaalam ito sa security personnel natin. At third, as in anything else, himayin natin... maging maingat, use your common sense (We remind everyone to be wary of people claiming to be from Malacañang and making such offers. Use common sense and ask for identification. When in doubt, contact our security forces. Be inquisitive and use common sense)," Olivar said in an interview on dwIZ radio.
Olivar also urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look deeper into the group’s contacts.
He said the Palace is keeping tabs on the investigation to see if there are indeed Palace insiders in cahoots with the suspects.
"Ngayon lang nagsimula ang investigation. Hopefully sa pagimbestiga malaman naatin ang ibang detalye rito (The investigation has just started. We hope we can get more details about this group’s operations)," he said.
On Thursday, NBI agents arrested five people claiming to be from the Office of the President following a sting operation in Manila.
Arrested were Joel Pelo, Wenceslao Malino, Mary Anne Fujiwara, Maria Elizabeth Pabalan, and Fudenciana Malinao, who tried to extort P10 million from the Buhay party list group.
"E kasi disente ang dating nila kaya napagkamalang taga Malacañang (The five appeared well-dressed and easily passed themselves off as Palace officials)," Olivar admitted. - TJD
Showing posts with label National Bureau of Investigation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Bureau of Investigation. Show all posts
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
News Update Lacson has lost chance to reopen Dacer-Corbito probe
Panfilo Lacson, the fugitive senator who escaped before a Manila court ordered his arrest early this year, could no longer ask for a reinvestigation into the November 2000 killings of veteran publicist Salvador “Bubby" Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito.
The senator had exhausted all legal remedies by failing to show up when the department was still doing the preliminary investigation into the twin killings, Department of Justice assistant chief state prosecutor Richard Fadullon said Sunday.
“The period to file a petition for review [before the Justice Secretary] should have been done 10 days after the resolution was received by his lawyers. Otherwise the resolution becomes final," he said.
On Jan. 7, the department filed double-murder charges against Lacson before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18, which was handling the pending Dacer-Corbito double murder case.
The senator, however, boarded a plane to Hong Kong two days earlier – according to Bureau of Immigration records – before authorities lost track of him.
Lacson has a standing arrest order from Philippine authorities.
The Interpol was tapped by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to help track him down.
On the other hand, Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said it is up to the court to order another preliminary probe into the Dacer-Corbito killings should Lacson seek one.
Judge Myra Garcia-Fernandez, who used to preside over the case, was appointed early this year to the Court of Appeals.
Her replacement is yet to be named.
“It’s up to the court now to proceed with the trial… I believe in the independence of the judiciary. Let the procedure take place," Agra said.
The senator fled the country on January 5, two days before he was charged with the double murder. About than a month later, Fernandez ordered Lacson’s arrest.
In an earlier statement, Lacson said he fled the country to escape what he called an evil conspiracy between Malacañang and the DOJ.
Lacson was a staunch critic of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration, and had exposed several alleged anomalies implicating members of her family. —VS
The senator had exhausted all legal remedies by failing to show up when the department was still doing the preliminary investigation into the twin killings, Department of Justice assistant chief state prosecutor Richard Fadullon said Sunday.
“The period to file a petition for review [before the Justice Secretary] should have been done 10 days after the resolution was received by his lawyers. Otherwise the resolution becomes final," he said.
On Jan. 7, the department filed double-murder charges against Lacson before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18, which was handling the pending Dacer-Corbito double murder case.
The senator, however, boarded a plane to Hong Kong two days earlier – according to Bureau of Immigration records – before authorities lost track of him.
Lacson has a standing arrest order from Philippine authorities.
The Interpol was tapped by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to help track him down.
On the other hand, Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said it is up to the court to order another preliminary probe into the Dacer-Corbito killings should Lacson seek one.
Judge Myra Garcia-Fernandez, who used to preside over the case, was appointed early this year to the Court of Appeals.
Her replacement is yet to be named.
“It’s up to the court now to proceed with the trial… I believe in the independence of the judiciary. Let the procedure take place," Agra said.
The senator fled the country on January 5, two days before he was charged with the double murder. About than a month later, Fernandez ordered Lacson’s arrest.
In an earlier statement, Lacson said he fled the country to escape what he called an evil conspiracy between Malacañang and the DOJ.
Lacson was a staunch critic of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration, and had exposed several alleged anomalies implicating members of her family. —VS
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