Biyernes, Mayo 3, 2013

Manhunt vs Mancao ongoing, Palace exec insists


By:  
May 3, 2013 4:45pm
 

Amid insinuations that the government has not been doing enough to recover escaped murder suspect Cezar Mancao II, a Palace spokesperson on Friday assured the public that authorities are doing all they can to recover the fugitive former police officer.
 
“Yes, the manhunt is underway since yesterday. [But] I don’t want [yto] speak. I don’t want to say anything on what the government is doing as to the manner of tracking Cezar Mancao,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a briefing.
 
Mancao escaped from NBI [National Bureau of Invstigation] detention early Thursday morning. CCTV video showed him casually walking out of the NBI compound in Manila through an unlocked gate. Since his escape, Mancao has been freely giving media interviews.
On the day that he escaped, Mancao, detained in connection with the November 2000 twin killings of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito, was to be brought to the Manila City Jail. Mancao said he had feared for such transfer, stressing that his life could be in danger there.

Lacierda said Justice Secretary Leila De Lima is personally taking charge of Mancao’s recovery. The DOJ has supervision over the NBI.
 
“The situation here is that Secretary Leila de Lima even spoke to Mr. Cezar Mancao. She’s given him a day to surrender, and since he refused to surrender, the manhunt is ongoing. And since he’s been giving a lot of media interviews, we expect the forces are out there and searching for him,” Lacierda said.
 
At the same briefing, Lacierda assured the public that those responsible for Mancao’s escape will be held accountable.
 
“There was a video to show how he escaped so I think, that speaks for itself as to who the person is responsible for his escape, and they are being investigated, and proper sanctions will be imposed,” Lacierda said, adding that the government treats Mancao as a fugitive.
 
“We are tracking him down right now, and that’s why this is not something that we will countenance. He’s a fugitive and we will go after him,” Lacierda said.
 
He stopped short of disclosing details of the recovery operations.
 
“We don’t comment on ongoing operations,” he said.
 
For her part, De Lima enjoined the public to let the investigation run its course. 
 
“We will let the course of the investigation determine who will be held accountable for the escape of Mr. Mancao from custody. Up to what level the culpability will reach, we'll let the facts and the evidence that may be gathered decide that," De Lima said in a text message to Lacierda, which was forwarded to reporters.
 
Unfair
 
Meanwhile, Lacierda said Mancao should not be demanding to speak with the President, as he is already receiving special treatment. Instead, Lacierda advised him to let the courts process his case.
 
“It’s unfair for Cesar Mancao to ask the President to be fair. First of all, the case is before the courts, and we respect the independence of the courts. As to fair treatment, Secretary Mar Roxas has already said that he’s getting special treatment; he’s not being placed in the same cell as the others,” Lacierda said. — RSJ, GMA News.