The Department of Justice has issued a subpoena to Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and members of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) in connection with the kidnapping and serious illegal detention filed by Mary Ong against them.

The subpoena orders Lacson and members of the PAOCTF still be identified to attend the preliminary hearing on the case on March 11.

State Prosecutor George Yarte Jr. issued the subpoena against Lacson and members of PAOCTF last Thursday after Ong, also known as Rose Bud, and several other witnesses submitted evidence against them for allegedly kidnapping and detaining two foreigners in 1998 and 1999.

During the start of the preliminary investigation in the case last Thursday, Ong, Remis Garganera of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), and six other witnesses, said in sworn affidavits that some members of the now defunct PAOCTF were responsible for the abduction of Chong Hiu Ming and Wong Kam Chong on December 30, 1998, and March 26, 1999, respectively. At that time, Lacson was the chief of the PAOCTF.

Lacson was included in the Interpol’s Red Notice last February 11 in connection with November 2000 publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito double murder case.

The senator left the country for Hong Kong last January 5, exactly a month before Judge Myra V. Garcia-Fernandez, of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued the warrant of arrest against him.