Mancao faces trial until discharged as accused
FORMER Police Senior Supt. Cesar Mancao II, who was tagged behind the 2000 Salvador “Bubby” Dacer-Emmanuel Corbito double murder case, will stand trial until such time he is discharged as an accused.
Lawyer Carolina Comon, clerk of court of the Manila RTC Branch 18, will treat Mancao as an accused until he becomes a state witness.
The Manila RTC Branch 18 is hearing the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.
Mancao will be asked to appear in court for his arraignment.
“The prosecution is now preparing to file a motion for the setting of (Mancao’s) arraignment,” Comon said.
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez earlier said Mancao, who is now being taken under protective custody by the NBI, is a “prospective state witness.”
“So far, Mancao remains an accused because he has not been discharged yet as an accused,” Comon explained.
Unless there is a motion turning him into a state witness, Mancao will stand trial.
Comon said now that the prosecution has rested its case after finishing presenting their evidence in court, the defense is now set to offer its evidence in court.
The next hearing will be set within this month.
Dacer and Corbito were abducted on Nov. 4, 2000 while Dacer was on his way to a meeting with former President Fidel V. Ramos. Their vehicle and burned bodies were later found in Indang, Cavite.
Meanwhile, Mancao can choose his visitors at his safe house at the NBI even as the bureau created an alert team to secure him.
While admitting that all visitors of Mancao will be screened as part of the standard operating procedure (SOP) for security purposes, Ric Diaz, chief of the NBI Anti-Terrorism Division (ATD), said he has nothing to divulge about this matter.
“Wala naman ako masasabi talaga [I have nothing to say]. In the first place, our (Diaz and lawyer Claro de Castro, Jr., chief of NBI Interpol Division) task is to fetch Mancao from Los Angeles, Califonia and escort him back to the Philippines. Now that Mancao is under the protective custody of the NBI, then other NBI officials took over the job,” said Diaz.
Security at the NBI has been tightened and the vicinity where Mancao’s sleeping quarters is located is off limits not only to media and the public but as well as to other bureau officials and employees who were not given access to the place.
So far, only close relatives and very few close friends have visited Mancao since day one of his arrival at the bureau, according to a reliable source. The police officer can even choose visitors whom he wants to see him.