Former police superintendent Cezar Mancao, a possible star witness in the abduction and murder of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer, has been turned over by US marshals to a team of the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) at the Los Angeles International Airport.

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau chief Ging Reyes reported that Mancao was turned over to NBI officials Ric Diaz and Claro de Castro Jr. at the LA airport around 10:38 a.m. Manila time.

Reyes said Mancao was formally placed under protective custody of the the NBI officials after the signing of his extradition from the US, which took place at the airport.

Reyes and her TV crew have booked for the Philippine Airlines flight PR 103, the same flight that will bring Mancao to Manila.

An earlier report said the flight will leave the LA airport at 10:30 p.m. (LA time) and was scheduled for a refuelling stopover in Guam. Mancao is expected to arrive in Manila past 5 a.m. Thursday.

From the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Mancao will be escorted to the NBI office in Manila.

Mancao has expressed willingness to turn state witness against the people behind the kidnapping and murder of Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito, in 2000.

There were reports that Mancao might tag Sen. Panfilo Lacson in the murder case.

Lacson is Mancao's former superior in the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, a special police team formed during the time of former President Joseph Estrada to stop kidnappings in the country.