US court to pave way for return of Mancao, Dumlao

AFTER the May 21 deposition before the US District Court of former police Senior Superintendents Cesar Mancao II and Glenn Dumlao, the date of their deportation to the country will then be known, the Department of Justice said yesterday.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the US court had summoned the two for the extradition case of the accused and their colleague, former police Senior Supt. Michael Ray Aquino.

Mancao and Dumlao are scheduled to give their deposition on May 21 (US time), after which the US federal court can already schedule the date of their deportation to the Philippines.

Mancao, Dumlao and Aquino are facing extradition case, but only Mancao and Dumlao were permitted to be deported to face the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

The extradition case against Aquino is being heard by the US federal court.

“Yung deposition kukunin pa sa May 21, so malalaman natin siguro (That deposition will be extracted yet on May 21, so we’ll let you know) after May 21, while the US court had ruled Mancao and Dumlao need not testify personally, they will have to issue depositions,” Gonzalez stressed.

Mancao and Dumlao were supposed to be deported back to the country last March.

However, their supposed deportation did not materialize as they were summoned as witnesses for the extradition case being faced by Aquino.

Nevertheless, the United States federal court has decided that the testimonies of the two former police officers were not necessary.

This situation makes the much-awaited deportation possible any day following their deposition on May 21.

Gonzalez assured that the DOJ is focused on the extradition case of the three former PNP officers.

Once their deportation is scheduled, Gonzalez said, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation will fetch them from the United States on their return to the Philippines.

The two will also be under the temporary custody of the NBI.

Once Mancao and Dumlao return to the country, the DOJ will commence its preliminary investigation for the reopening of the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

The DOJ will also investigate the involvement of Sen. Panfilo Lacson as the alleged “mastermind” in the case.