COMMITTEE REPORT SEEKS PROBE ON LACSON

IT is not surprising that one of the first acts of the opposition Senate
was to recommit to the committee the exhaustive, 100-page joint report on
Sen. Panfilo Lacson and his men, prepared by the committees on public order
and illegal drugs headed by Sen. Robert Barbers, the blue ribbon chaired by
Sen. Joker Arroyo and defense chaired by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay. Opposition
Sen. Gregorio Honasan, who "replaced" Barbers in the committee on public
order, immediately ordered the report sent back to the committee to correct
its "infirmities." This only confirms speculations that one reason the
opposition staged the Senate coup was to block the release of the report.
The new majority must realize it's not easy to dismiss this report, as it
was the product of joint efforts of three committees over many months.

Honasan's move was not surprising, for the joint report on his PMA mistah
is couched in very strong language that goes straight to the point. It
recommends that the Department of Justice pursue an investigation of
Lacson's "possible participation" together with his key officers John
Campos and Villaroman in the kidnapping for ransom of six Chinese nationals
as well as in drug-trafficking activities. It said the kidnapping by Acop,
Campos and Villaroman of the Chinese nationals and the drug-trafficking
activities of the Narcgroup and Pro4 teams were "substantially established
by prima facie evidence."

It also took to task the PAOCTF headed by Lacson for having "failed
miserably" in its mission to neutralize drug carters for which it was
"specially organized, tasked, funded and empowered." Lawyer Leonard de
Vera, counsel of Mary "Rosebud" Ong, opines that the report gives the DOJ
plenty of leads to pursue.