MANILA, Philippines - The daughter of slain publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer said Saturday she is confident President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III will not break his own promise of "justice for all" in his inaugural address.
"Napakinggan ko po ang inaugural speech ni President Aquino, and I think na one of his important programs is to pursue justice for all. He said his mandate to Justice Secretary De Lima is to go ahead and pursue truth and justice para sa lahat," Karina Dacer told former Vice-President Noli de Castro in a phone patch interview on radio dzMM.
The publicist's daughter said she believes President Aquino would be able to relate to their family's situation as he was also a victim of injustice because of the death of his father, Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
"Naniniwala rin po kami na dahil sa history ng buhay niya alam niya kung ano ang nararamdaman namin at hindi niya pababayaan na hindi sagutin ni Senator Lacson sa korte ang nakahain na kaso sa kanya," Dacer added.
She said they are hoping that President Aquino will not extend special treatment to Lacson just because he is a senator.
Lacson fled the country right before a Manila court issued a warrant for his arrest for the 2 counts of murder filed against him by the Dacer daughters.
Speaking through his lawyers, Lacson said he left the country because he feels will not get a fair treatment from the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
'Will raise hell'
"If he fears persecution under the Gloria administration, he should now return because there is a new administration. And [he should] present his defense and prove that the charges against him are baseless," Demetriou Custodio, lawyer of the Dacer daughters, said over the same radio program.
Custodio also believes that with President Aquino's own family history, he will not allow Lacson to continue evading the law.
He said they are hoping that the new Philippine president will abide by his own promise of "justice for all" and refrain from intervening in the case, once Lacson decides to submit himself to authorities.
The lawyer said if Lacson returns to the country, they expect the Aquino administration to let the senator be subjected to regular criminal procedure.
He said Lacson should be put directly to jail if he returns to the country because of the existing warrant of arrest.
"Kapag hindi po nangyari iyon ay we will raise hell. The law is for everyone at hindi po dahil sa senador siya at meron siyang inaasahan sa present Aquino administration ay magkakaroon po ng exemption on the application of rules," Custodio said.
Lawyer Alex Avisado, meanwhile, said even he and the other lawyers of the wanted senator are hoping that Lacson will finally decide to return to the country and face the charges in court.
Avisado assured that Lacson will not ask a "special favor" from President Aquino. He also denied that Lacson is convincing allies in the Senate to fight for his custody once he decides to come out from hiding.
"Wala pong inaasahan si Senator Lacson na special favor dito sa present administration. Knowing Senator Lacson, hindi hihilingin ni Senator Lacson kay President Aquino na makialam sa kasong ito," he said.
The Department of Justice filed 2 separate cases in relation with the murders of Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito, in November 2000.
Lacson was included in the second case filed by the Dacer daughters before the Department of Justice, which was elevated to a Manila court.
The case was filed after Lacson’s former aide, Cezar Mancao, executed an affidavit alleging that the senator may have been involved in the murders.
The senator has repeatedly denied his involvement in the murders. His lawyers believe that Mancao’s testimony was too weak to prove Lacson’s role in the killings.
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