MANILA, Philippines - Don't call Sen. Panfilo Lacson a fugitive yet, his lawyer said Thursday, clarifying the government's claim that his escape abroad is an indication of guilt.

"I would just like to correct reports that Senator Lacson is a fugitive from justice. They said that he is guilty because flight is an indication of guilt. At the time Senator Lacson left, there were still no cases filed against him and no warrant of arrest has been issued," lawyer Alex Avisado told radio dzMM.

Avisado also slammed Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera for "mind conditioning" the public that a warrant of arrest will be issued against the senator, who left the country on January 5 or 3 days before the Department of Justice (DOJ) recommended the filing of 2 murder cases against him.

The lawyer said Devanadera is obviously trying to fast-forward the results of the court proceedings on Lacson's case. He insisted that the local court handling Lacson's case has yet to decide on at least 3 pleadings from the camps of the prosecution and the defense.

The pleadings include the motion for consolidation of Lacson's case to a previous case filed by the government in a separate court, and the motion for judicial determination of probable cause.

"It's not proper to preempt the court. Devanadera has been saying that the senator's passport may be cancelled and he may be extradited. These statements are very premature," Avisado said.

The lawyer, meanwhile, said he is constantly in contact with Lacson, but only through SMS (text messaging). He said he and the senator have been avoiding talking over the phone due to suspicions that their phones may be bugged.

The Bureau of Immigration has confirmed that Lacson left for Hong Kong on January 5. Authorities do not know where the senator is right now, but there were allegations he has gone to Australia.

Devanadera said that as soon as a warrant for Lacson's arrest is issued by the local court, the government will cancel the senator's passport and invoke its treaty with the Australian government to force his return to the country.

There were also reports that Lacson left the country to secure an affidavit from former police officer Michael Ray Aquino, his former subordinate in the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force.

Aquino is currently serving a six-year jail sentence in the US for conspiring with White House aide Leandro Agoncillo in sending classified documents to Lacson and former President Joseph Estrada.

A source earlier told ABS-CBN News that Lacson may send a lawyer to Aquino since the senator cannot personally go to the US.

Aquino's possible affidavit may corroborate former police officer Glenn Dumlao's earlier testimony clearing Lacson of the double murder of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.

The murder charges filed by the government against Lacson are based on an affidavit by another former subordinate of the senator, former police senior superintendent Cezar Mancao.