De Lima said there are emissaries who relayed the message to the government that Lacson does not want to spend a single minute in jail.

Lacson insisted his innocence to the November 2000 killing of Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.

Aside from the issue of house arrest, De Lima is also open to an option of placing the senator under the custody of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

De Lima stressed the government is mindful that it would be dangerous for Lacson to be placed in an ordinary jail along with other inmates.

She explained that the senator used to be a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and had sent countless criminals to jail during his time in the police service.

“Probably, we can put him in a detention facility of the NBI. Pero kung ang Senate ang mag-request sa amin na i-custody na lang nila on their recognizance or Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, siguro puwede pero hindi pa ako makakasagot ngayon kung pagbibigyan namin,” De Lima told reporters.

Last week, the Court of Appeals (CA) reversed the Manila Regional Trial Court’s findings of probable cause to indict Lacson for the two counts of murder in connection with the Dacer-Corbito killing.

Not Mancao’s mistress

Meanwhile, the visibly irate De Lima strongly denied insinuations that she is a mistress of former police Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II, calling it as “rubbish” and part of the demolition job.

De Lima emphasized the said “demolition job” when asked for a comment on the complaint filed by a 43-year-old woman against Mancao for alleged domestic violence and maltreatment, and insinuated the former police officer and a high-raking government official have a discreet romantic relationship.

De Lima, who is very keen in resolving the celebrated Nov. 2000 killings, said the latest development is part of a demolition job aimed at besmirching her reputation.

“It’s rubbish,” said De Lima, adding that there could be an individual or group that were behind the move of Teresa Irene Abas who filed the complaint against Mancao.

In her five-page affidavit filed before the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office, Abas claimed that Mancao impregnated her.

She further said that Mancao has not given her concern and said that he hit her on the stomach in one instance despite her being pregnant.

“I believe he is in a secret relationship with someone who is now in position, a government official…that explained the latter's (Mancao) smooth entry into the Witness Protection Program," Abas said.

Jeamma Sabate, Manila Bulletin