Devanadera: DOJ is not lawyering for Mancao
ACTING Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera clarified yesterday that the DOJ is not lawyering for former police Senior Supt. Cesar Mancao II.
However, Devanadera was quick to add that it is the obligation of the Justice department to provide maximum security to Mancao as the latter is being considered as a state witness.
Devanadera made the clarification in a news conference at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in answer to claims that the DOJ serves as the prosecutor and that they could not be “lawyers” for Mancao.
“None of our state prosecutors represent Mancao in court. Our DOJ prosecutors went to court to inform it that Mancao indeed is an applicant for the Witness Protection Program (WPP). We are duty-bound to provide him security as prospective witness. And it is good the NBI has the facility for such,” Devanadera said.
Devanadera also reminded the prosecutors not to act as if they are the lawyers of Mancao.
“I made it clear with them that we are prosecutors here. And they know that and even before they never enter appearance in court on behalf of Mancao,” Devanadera said.
She also debunked claims that the security being provided to Mancao is an “overkill.”
Mancao is one of the prime suspects in the controversial Dacer-Corbito double murder case who executed an affidavit on February 14 in the United States federal court identifying the alleged “brains” in the abduction-slay of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito on Nov. 4, 2000.