LACSON: MANCAO 'OFFER' CLAIM SHOWS DESPERATION

"I don't accept bribes, so why would I offer a bribe?"

On this note, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Wednesday brushed off former police colonel Cezar Mancao II's claim of a so-called bribe offer to recant his testimony linking him to the Dacer-Corbito case.

Lacson said Mancao and his lawyer may be turning desperate, after the testimony of former Senior Superintendent Glenn Dumlao in court last August 4 effectively demolished Mancao's fabricated claims.

"The fact of the matter is, the court testimony of Glenn Dumlao has effectively demolished Mancao's fabricated testimony against me. That's why Mancao and his lawyer are on desperation mode," he said.

Also, Lacson noted the same court records showed Mancao contradicted himself on many points, even testifying that he signed an affidavit prepared by government prosecutor Hazel Valdez.

Further, Lacson said Mancao's testimony was disproved by former Senator Manuel Roxas II and former Press Secretary Michael Toledo - along with unimpeachable documents he submitted during the preliminary investigation by the Justice Department during the Arroyo regime.

Mancao has a pending application to be discharged as a suspect and to be a state witness in the case before he can be formally admitted to the government's witness protection program.

"From the very start, it is easy to comprehend that Mancao is conveniently fabricating these lies to benefit himself. He implicated Senator Lacson so he can get out of prison in the US and go back to the Philippines - all expenses paid at that. And now, he is accusing our camp of trying to bribe him into recanting a testimony which was already shattered in court," added Lacson's lawyer Alex Avisado Jr.

Last August 4, Dumlao stressed in open court that Lacson had no personal knowledge about the alleged operation against Salvador "Bubby" Dacer, contrary to Mancao's claim that he heard his former superior ordering the liquidation of a certain "Delta" sometime in September 2000.

Dumlao also testified that Mancao was not even aware of the alleged operation until after Dumlao reported to Mancao, then his task force commander, that such an operation was carried out.