MANILA - The return of former police officer Cezar Mancao, tagged as a key witness in the double-murder case of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito, will further delay the ongoing case at the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC).

The prosecution rested its case last year, which means that it has presented all the evidence, testimonies and witnesses to the court to support the charge. It also means that it is now the turn of the defense panel to present evidence, testimonies and witnesses to rebut the allegation.

The defense is scheduled to make its initial reception of evidence in the afternoon of June 30, but with this latest development, the prosecution could move for a “reopening” its case, a court official told abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak.

Mancao arrived in the country on Thursday after almost eight years of fleeing the coop with co-accused, former Senior Supt. Michael Ray Aquino.

Both were officers of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), which was then headed by former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, now Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Dumlao's status unclear

Aquino is still contesting his extradition while another accused, former Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao, is also expected to arrive anytime soon.

However, Dumlao’s status in the double-murder case is unclear. He has been tapped by government to serve as state witness, but made a turnaround by fleeing to the US. In the meantime, the Supreme Court has sustained his status as state witness.

The court, under RTC Judge Myra Garcia-Fernandez, has issued arrest warrants for Aquino and Mancao as principal suspects, and to Dumlao for leaving the country without the permission of the bench.

Although essentially, he is a fugitive of the law, Mancao will temporarily be staying at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Under normal circumstances, he should be committed to the Manila City Jail, a court officer said.

“After the return of warrant of arrest (which the court received at around 2 p.m. Thursday), the judge issues a commitment order for the transfer of the accused to the city jail,” the court officer said.

Judge Fernandez, however, is on official leave.
 
But then, the prosecution is expected to file a motion next week for the reopening of its case.

We requested an interview with Mancao’s counsel on record, lawyer Denise Arenillo, but as of this writing, we have yet to receive a return call.

Mancao, who is being tapped as state witness by the government to bolster its case, has vowed to tell all on the Dacer-Corbito murder case.

He has tagged Lacson as the mastermind behind the double-murder case.