Dumlao, a former official of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), issued the statement in reaction to the appeal of the legal counsel of former police Senior Supt. Cezar Mancao to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for him (Dumlao) to be a state witness or to be charged anew in connection with the case if he refuses.

In a three-page letter to De Lima, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, who represents Mancao, urged the justice secretary “to consider without delay to demand that Dumlao act as state witness citing that this was the condition that had been given by the court to drop him (Dumlao) as accused.”

“For the record, I never abandoned my legal responsibility to the people of the Republic to testify truthfully and fully for the resolution of the case,” said Dumlao in his statement.

Dumlao added that “in fact, both the prosecution and defense had already finished their direct and re-direct examination on me. And this testimony of mine had been requested by the prosecution to be perpetuated. Mr. Topacio doesn't know these because he was always late in coming to court.”

The former PAOCTF official claimed that Topacio hated him for telling the truth that Senator Lacson has nothing to do with the case.

“The thing is, Mr. Topacio is not working for the interest of his client, Colonel Mancao. He is actually working for the benefit of his two-headed masters: One, those bosses of his who have an ax to grind against Senator Lacson and who hated me for telling the truth that Senator Lacson has nothing to do with the case; and two, his bosses who are afraid that I am telling the truth because they were exposed through my testimony and my latest affidavit,” Dumlao further claimed.

“I am surprised that Mr. Topacio was not able to appreciate the truth. Instead, he is against it because it doesn’t serve his bosses’ wishes. I have been telling the truth, I have disclosed the motive, the mastermind, everything. It is on record, in the transcript of the hearing,” he said.

“Mr. Topacio, hindi ako nagmamalinis, pero this I tell you: “If you want to prosecute the devil, you have to have a witness from hell.” Lastly, si Colonel Mancao ang client mo. Work for his interest, not anyone else’s,” he urged.

Dumlao was one of those originally charged in an information filed by the Department of Justice (DoJ) dated May 11, 2001 for the Dacer-Corbito murder case.

On May 23, 2001, a motion was filed before the court to amend the information by discharging Dumlao, conditioned upon the utilization of him by the People as State Witness, said Topacio.

Jeamma Sabate, Manila Bulletin