The Department of Justice filed Thursday two separate information for murder against Sen. Panfilo Lacson before the Manila Regional Trial Court in connection with the killing of the late publicist Bubby Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in 2000.

“There is no such thing as a double murder. So we have filed two separate information – one for the case of Bubby Dacer and one for Emmanuel Corbito,” Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said.

Dacer and Corbito were abducted and slain by men who were believed to be members of the now defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Task Force (PAOCTF), which was then headed by Lacson, in November 2000.

However, Lacson, who was also chief of the Philippine National Police at the time when the crime was committed, had repeatedly denied his involvement in the twin killings, even when his name was mentioned in the sworn affidavits of two former police officials belonging to the PAOCTF, former Senior Supt. Cezar Mancao II and Supt. Glenn Dumlao.

According to the findings of the prosecuting panel, Lacson conspired with several police officers in the abduction and subsequent killing of Dacer and Corbito, whose bodies were found partly burned in a remote mountain area in Indang, Cavite.

“There are so many evidences with regard to the killing and the abduction as manifested in the testimonies of the witnesses and the physical evidences which were gathered,” said Senior State Prosecutor Peter Ong.

However, Lacson insisted that the testimony of Mancao linking him to the crime is unbelievable.

Meanwhile, a motion to discharge Mancao as a state witness has been filed but it will only be resolved after the testimony of Dumlao is finished.

The case is set to be raffled off this Friday.

“After the raffle, the judge will have 10 days to evaluate the records. If she is convinced with our findings, he/she can issue a warrant of arrest,” disclosed Ong.