MANCAO, FORCED TO EXECUTE AFFIDAVIT

It has now been uncovered. Cesar Mancao II was forced to issue a second affidavit to finally clear the cobwebs on the sleeping Dacer-Corbito double murder case. The ex-police officer was forced by his own conscience to finally make right all the wrong he has done with regard to the abduction and execution of a publicist and his driver and most importantly to finally shed light on the identity of the real mastermind.
“Ur ryt, Sir! Maricar said it too. I was hoping I can contribute something 2 propel u at d end. Rest assured of my loyalty. I will desist d tempttn. Sleep soundly sir”.
This was the alleged text message received by Senator Lacson from Mancao supposedly on January 4, 2008 which the lawmaker decided to hide from the public. This was the text message that Lacson is now using to absolve himself from the double murder case and which is now aiding him in his quest to project himself as the underdog. But if we scrutinize this so-called message and the circumstances surrounding such a text we can conclude this scenario:
Mancao indeed sent the text message to reassure Lacson of his loyalty since the latter was already having panic attacks given that authorities are just a few steps away from uncovering his role in the twin slay. However, the message was sent immediately following – not on January 4, 2008 as claimed by Lacson - Mancao’s first affidavit which was issued on March 1, 2007. Contrary to Lacson’s claims that Mancao was planning to mislead the government, his former aide was merely assuring his boss that he is determined not to give in to the temptation to tell the truth no matter what the cost may be. Lacson who was not planning to be caught unaware, on the other hand, had other intentions for the text message. The Senator is now using the text in an entirely different context to protect his back and to destroy the credibility of Mancao as a possible state witness.
Also, if Lacson’s account of outside pressure was indeed true then how was Mancao able to execute a “forced” affidavit with four United States officials looking on? It was learned that aside from Honorary Consul General Angelo Macatangay, the affidavit signing was also witnessed by Esquire Bernardo Lopez of the Office of Public Defender, Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Keene of the US Attorney General Office and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Matthews on February 14, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mancao could have just as easily called the attention of one of these witnesses if he was really being “forced” to sign an affidavit against his own volition. There was not even one government official from the Philippines to execute “pressure” on Mancao.
In our culture, our conscience… most especially if we have done others wrong serves to be our worst primary enemy. It may either drive us to be extremely remorseful and make us want to seek redemption. Other times, just like what happened to Judas, extreme guilt can lead us to take drastic measures which sometimes can actually make people take their own lives at its expense. But in this case, issuing the correct affidavit on the Dacer-Corbito murder case was enough to alleviate Mancao’s guilt.