Nullification of Sen. Lacson's arrest warrants is final

source: gma
The Court of Appeals (CA) has ruled as final its nullification of the arrest warrants against Sen. Panfilo Lacson for double murder charges for the deaths of Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito in 2000.

The CA said only the Supreme Court can reinstate the arrest warrants against the senator.

"We rule that the arrest warrants issued against [Lacson] cannot be implemented unless it is reinstated by the Supreme Court," said the CA's Special Sixth Division.

The arrest warrants were issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18 against the senator for his alleged involvement in the November 24, 2000 killing of veteran publicist Dacer and his driver Corbito.

In a 16-page resolution promulgated on Friday, March 18, the CA's Special Sixth Division held that its February 3, 2011 ruling that voided the arrest warrants is deemed final and executory.

"The nullification of the arrest warrants is hereby declared immediately executory. All the respondents, their agents, any peace officer or law enforcer, or anybody acting on their behalf, are permanently enjoined from enforcing and implementing the arrest warrants issued in Criminal Cases Nos. 10272905 and 10272906," said the CA ruling written by Associate Justice Ramon Bato Jr.

The respondents the CA was referring to were the Manila RTC Branch 18, the Department of Justice (representing the People of the Philippines), and Dacer's daughters.

The CA's ruling granted Lacson's motion seeking to clarify whether its February 3, 2011 ruling voiding the arrest warrants, can already be executed.

The CA also denied, for lack of merit, the motions for reconsideration filed by Dacer's daughters and the DOJ, which is represented by the Office of the Solicitor General. Their appeals sought to overturn the CA's Feb. 3 ruling.

The CA likewise denied former police officer Cezar Mancao II's motion to intervene in the case and to appeal the CA's ruling. Mancao is not a direct party to the case Lacson filed at the Court of Appeals.

The CA dropped the murder charges against Lacson on the basis that Mancao was not a credible witness.

source: gma