The Court of Appeals on Thursday granted the petition of Sen. Panfilo Lacson to dismiss the double murder case lodged against him for the Dacer-Corbito killings a decade ago.
In an 80-page ruling, the appellate court's Sixth Division reversed the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 18's two orders that found probable cause to indict Lacson for the killings of publicist Salvador Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.
The CA also revoked the arrest warrant the Manila court issued against Lacson.
"The orders dated Feb. 4, 2010 and July 23, 2010 of public respondent court [Manila RTC Branch 18] finding probable cause for the issuance of warrants of arrest against petitioner [Lacson] are nullified and set aside. The informations in Criminal Cases Nos. 10272905 and 10272906 are hereby dismissed," said the CA.
The informations are the criminal cases filed by the Department of Justice before the Manila court.