Lacson on his way to Manila from Cebu

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday afternoon said Sen. Panfilo Lacson was on his way to Manila, a few hours after arriving in Cebu from Hong Kong. PNP spokesman Agrimero Cruz Jr. said the senator left the Mactan International Airport at about 4:30 p.m. aboard a private Baron-type, twin-engine plane. Lacson arrived in Cebu shortly before Saturday noon, more than a year after leaving the country to evade what he said was a campaign of "political persecution" being mounted against him by the past administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, of which he was a staunch critic. (See: Lacson back in PHL from HK after hiding for over a year) Lacson was being hunted as a fugitive by Philippine authorities after they slapped warrants of arrest on him for his alleged involvement in the November 2000 killing of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. Lacson was PNP chief and head of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) when alleged members of the task force abducted and killed Dacer and Corbito. Former Police Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II, who was then a PAOCTF official and himself a suspect in the killing, implicated Lacson in his affidavit, but the senator repeatedly denied the accusation. Lacson returned to the country more than a month after the Court of Appeals ordered with finality the nullification of the arrest warrants against him, as well as of the charges lodged against him. (See: CA junks murder case vs Lacson, drops arrest warrant)—Mark D. Merueñas/JV, GMA News