Philippine Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has said she was feeling the pressure from the continued failure of law enforcers to find Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson who has been in hiding for a year now.
More than anything, De Lima said she wanted the manhunt for Lacson over and done with so she can concentrate on other cases which are just as important, like the reinvestigation of the Vizconde massacre and the preparations for the public inquiry in Hong Kong into last August's hostage-taking incident.
"The longer it takes to find him, the more the pressure grows. There's more pressure on me too," she told reporters.
De Lima said the National Bureau of Investigation elite team that has been formed to track down Lacson was well aware of the pressure. She said she has been hounding NBI Director Magtanggol Gatdula even during the holidays about the hunt for Lacson.
"He assured me efforts are continuing," she said.
Senator Lacson left the Philippines on January 5, 2010, shortly before charges against him were filed for being the alleged mastermind in the murder of publicist Bubby Dacer (a.k.a. "a Sultan of Spin") and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.
On February 5, 2010, the Regional Trial Court in Manila issued an arrest warrant against him. On February 12, 2010, Interpol issued an international notice for Lacson.
