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For the past 21 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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This website includes selected articles from this week's edition of the Filipino Express. Not all the stories published in the printed version appear on this site.
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CHICAGO – When the lawyer for Cezar Ochoco Mancao II submitted his counter affidavit dated June 29, 2001 in the double murder charges in the Philippines on August 3, 2001, Mancao was already long gone from the Philippines -- more than one month to be exact.
The Philippine state prosecutors rightly disregarded it not because Mancao was buying time to flee from the Philippines but because the affidavit was “patently suspicious and irregular document that deserves no merit to consider” because the affidavit was “purportedly subscribed in Manila before Prosecutor II Fernando Felicen, who is a prosecutor of Makati City.”
But last year, Mancao, out of the blue, signed another affidavit. But this time, the Philippine state prosecutors were too thrilled take it. But the question is: Will Mancao re-affirm it or rather, can he spurn it?
This question cropped up after Macao asserted in court filings his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent when his extradition hearing opens on Jan 20, 2009 before Magistrate Judge Lurana S. Snow of the United States District Court of Southern Florida in Fort Lauderdale.
Mancao, who executed the affidavit one year after he was arrested on immigration charges in 2006 as a “material witness” in the spying charges of Michael Ray B. Aquinlo, did not explain why he volunteered information that incriminated himself and corroborated the statements of former Superintendent (Colonel) Glenn Galapon Dumlao that several others, including General turned- Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Superintendents Michael Ray B. Aquino and Teofilo Vina, were part of the “chain of command” in the conspiracy in the double murder of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito.
In what appeared to be his “dying declaration” on March 1, 2007, Mancao executed in his residential county of Broward in Florida before a notary public, Isabel Moreno, that shortly after he and Mr. Aquino fled from the Philippines to the United States to escape trial in the double murder of Dacer and Corbito, Mancao declared that “Sometime (in) August of 2001 in a Las Vegas (Nevada) hotel, Michael Aquino was blaming (their fellow police Supt.) Teofilo Vina for sloppily dumping Bubby Dacer’s car into a ravine i (Maragondon) Cavite, where it (the Toyota Revo) was easily discovered.
“Aquino was complaining that the task had not been carried out correctly. This sloppy work resulted in an investigation, which later implicated Michael Aquino in Dacer and Corbito’s disappearance.”
Dacer’s car was dumped by Vina’s men on the ravine in Maragondon, Cavite on Nov. 27, 2000, three days after the disappearance of Dacer and Corbito.
Messrs. Aquino and Mancao fled the Philippines on July 1st, 2001. It was not explained how the Philippine state prosecutors obtained Mancao’s notary public documents. But it was disclosed in court documents obtained by this reporter that the U.S. State Department of Justice turned over to the Philippine government the documents under the RP-US Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters.
In a four-page confession that appeared to perpetuate his testimony in case something happens to him, Mancao said, “After Dacer and Corbito’s disappearance, I was asked to investigate the case. During my investigation, I spoke with Teofilo Vina and Glen Dumlao. I called Vina and asked him if he had any involvement in the disappearance and he told me that he (had) been tasked by Michael Aquino to get Bubby Dacer.
“I understood this to mean that Aquino had tasked Vina to neutralize Dacer. When speaking to Glen Dumlao about Michael Aquino’s possible involvement, Mr. Dumlao blamed Aquino for illegal orders.
I understood the illegal orders to be conspiring in the abduction and murder of Dacer and Corbito.”
Mancao, 45, said in “May of 2001, Panfilo Lacson was elected Senator. Michael Aquino acted as his (Lacson’s) campaign coordinator by overseeing campaign contributions, posters and other campaign media. Shortly after winning the seat, a meeting was held where Panfilo Lacson advised Aquino and I that we should leave the country. He told us that the new presidential administration would come after us for the Dacer-Corbito case in an effort to destroy Lacson’s reputation and negatively affect Lacson’s possible chances of a presidential bid in 2004.”
“On July 1, 2001, I followed Lacson’s instructions, left my family, and flew from the Philippines to Hong Kong where I met up with Michael Aquino.
“From there, the two of us flew to the United States where we traveled and lived together for the next three months. In September of 2001, I settled in Florida and Michael Aquino settled in New Jersey. Michael Aquino and I kept in touch with each other and met with Senator Lacson several times over the next two years including meetings in Washington, DC (October, 01), New York (January, 02), Los Angeles and Las Vegas (January 03) and Miami (September, 03).”
“It was during this September 03 meeting in Miami, Florida that I heard Senator Lacson instructing Michael Ray Aquino to search for U.S. real estate properties in the name of Jose Miguel Arroyo, the husband of the Philippine President Gloria Arroyo. Lacson believed that Jose Miguel Arroyo had received millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks and was investing the money in U.S. real estate. This was commonly known as the “Jose Pidal Account.” (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)
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CHICAGO – Lealfil Alforque lived all her life in the landlocked city of Tangub in Misamis Occidental in the Philippines and must only be all too familiar with the tame shallow salt water lake of Panguil Bay.
That’s why when she stood on the Pacific Ocean shore of “Hug Point Beach” off Washington/Oregon coast last Nov. 29 four days after she arrived in America, Miss Alforque did not realize that she would be standing behind “sneaker waves,” waves that are larger than the rest of the set, and sneaked up on a her
and swallowed her up.
This was one of the possible reasons that caused Miss Alforque to be swept away in front of the horrified
eyes of her fiancÈ, Scott Napper, who was about to make a proposal in an area that is also known as “Proposal Rock” off Newskowin Beach in Tillamook County, Oregon.
Lt. Adam Davenport, public affairs officer of the United States Coast Group/ Air Station Astoria, told this reporter in an email “due to the year-round water temperature (55 degrees F), the strength of tidal current and the size of incoming surf, it is a safe practice to stay of all rocks and jetties on the Oregon/Washington
coast.”
The Coast Guard in Astoria mounted a huge search for Miss Alforque minutes after it got a report that she was missing. But after a few days of Miss Alforque still missing, the search was abandoned. Sheriff Todd Anderson of Tillamook County told this reporter in a phone interview that “the tragic accident happened on Nov. 29 at about 3 p.m. off Proposal Rock, where swimmers had also drownedin the past, along a 300-mile
coastline.”
Anderson said it was the first reported drowning of a woman, getting a marriage proposal. The oddity of the incident made the international news.
“Our coastline and rock outcroppings are also very beautiful, and the scenery often entices people to venture where it is not safe to snap a picture or enjoy the view.” Davenport said.
“I can't speculate to the specifics of what happened to Mr. Napper and Ms. Alforque. I can say that the currents are very strong and the water is very cold along our entire coast, and is considered dangerous for all persons no matter how well they swim. I can also say that we performed an exhaustive search of the area for Ms. Alforque with both boats and a helicopter.
“The Park Service does post signs at each of its managed beach access points which explain the dangers of the area - Hug Point Beach Access (where Ms. Alforque went missing) is no exception.” Davenport concluded.
It was reported that a three-foot wave swept Miss Alforque to sea as she and Mr. Napper made their way to the Proposal Rock. They were only 10 feet away from the Proposal Rock when the wave hit. Miss Alforque was caught by receding waters. Emergency personnel arrived within minutes, but thick fog and dangerous water conditions hampered the search that was eventually called off. Foul play was not suspected.
Mr. Napper planned to propose to his girlfriend at a majestic coastal beauty spot, and a week later they were going to get married at another romantic site, a spectacular waterfall.
Mr. Napper, 45, met the 22-year-old Miss Alforque online three years ago. They met for the first time in January, when he visited her.
As love bloomed between the two, they decided to marry near Salem, Oregon, where Napper lives. Napper wanted to make her relationship formal with a romantic proposal. They were supposed to get married last Dec. 6. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)
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AS we celebrate Christmas, we should all count our blessings and look to the future with greater hope, confidence, and optimism.
Let us come together to celebrate faith and families.
Let our communities must pull together and set aside personal feuds and political differences.
Let us focus instead on what positive things we can do all together to improve our lives.
I am optimistic about our future and the hope, optimism, and resilience of the Filipino people. As we enter the New Year, we will make sure our government is vigilant in bringing government services to the people. It is important that the government work for the people, that the government deliver the services the people deserve.
I am also optimistic that we will have peace in Mindanao. There is no alternative to peace, so we must do everything in our power to avert war which brings no good to anyone. It is essential that we bring the violent renegades to justice and be assured that responsible MILF leaders regain control. We must find a way to restart the process of peace negotiations.
We must dedicate ourselves to the poor and unfortunate amongst us everyday, but even more so during Christmas.
We must work to bring economic opportunities and human dignity to every Filipino man, woman, and child during this special holiday season of hope, love, and faith and as we move into the New Year.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
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