By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Senator Panfilo Lacson has called on law enforcement agencies to strengthen intelligence operations, saying effective information gathering remains the most critical factor in capturing high-profile fugitives.
The former Philippine National Police chief made the statement amid ongoing efforts to locate Ronald dela Rosa, who has reportedly gone into hiding after being tagged as a fugitive by authorities.
Lacson said successful operations against prominent personalities depend heavily on solid intelligence work, noting that the same principle applies to other wanted figures such as Charlie “Atong” Ang, former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag, and former congressman Zaldy Co.
According to Lacson, intelligence should drive every law enforcement operation, whether in policing or military work. He stressed that without reliable information gathering, authorities only waste manpower and resources.
The senator emphasized the need for both field intelligence and technical or signal intelligence, saying modern operations require more than just deploying personnel on the ground.
Lacson also questioned how authorities failed to immediately arrest Dela Rosa despite allegedly being within close range during an earlier attempt to serve a warrant tied to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He pointed out that if law enforcers were truly determined to arrest the senator, agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) should have assigned more personnel to the operation instead of sending only two women operatives alongside former senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
Calling the situation “awkward,” Lacson said authorities must improve the way they conduct fugitive tracking operations to avoid allowing suspects to escape at the last minute.
The veteran lawmaker also hit back at lawyers he described as “manipulative” and “misleading” for comparing Dela Rosa’s situation to his own legal troubles in the past.
Lacson maintained that his decision to go into hiding during the 2010s was legally justified under the Supreme Court doctrine established in the Miranda v. Tuliao case, which at the time allowed accused individuals to seek judicial relief even without being under physical custody.
He recalled believing he was a “fugitive from injustice,” claiming then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wanted him jailed based on questionable testimony and politically motivated charges.
Lacson eventually won his case after the Court of Appeals dismissed the warrant against him and questioned the credibility of key witness Cezar Mancao II.
The senator stressed that his case was entirely different from Dela Rosa’s current predicament, noting that legal rules governing such situations have already changed since late 2025.
ia/xf
