Manila court judge has directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to immediately bring back Senator Panfilo Lacson to the country as she junked the senator's motion for reconsideration seeking to cancel the issuance of an arrest warrant against him.

Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18 Acting Presiding Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina, however, left the decision of cancelling Lacson's passport to the foreign affairs secretary and denied the Motion to Cancel Philippine Passport of Accused that was filed by the camp of slain publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer.

“The National Bureau of Investigation and the Secretary of Department of Foreign Affairs is directed to take proper steps in order that Senator Lacson, who is alleged to be out of the country, may be brought back to the Philippines pursuant to the warrant of arrest issued by this court so that he can be dealt with in accordance with law,” said the 15-page joint order of Bunyi-Medina.

On January 5, Lacson left for Hong Kong just few days before the justice department recommended the filing of charges against him for the killing of Dacer and Corbito in November 2000. The family of Dacer requested the court to cancel the passport of the Senator last March 17.

Former Judge Myra V. Garcia-Fernandez, of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 18, issued warrant of arrest last Feb. 5. Fernandez was promoted as Court of Appeals Justice and Medina took over the hearing of the case on order of the Supreme Court.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) gave credence to the affidavit submitted by former police Senior Supt. Cezar Mancao II, the physical evidence gathered from the crime scene and affidavits of other witnesses which have already been presented as part of the evidence of the prosecution against other accused who are now under trial at the Manila RTC.