DFA denies calling ‘Ping Lacson document’ manufactured

This refers to the news article titled “Senator Lacson used fake travel papers says DFA.” (Inquirer, 7/7/11)

To set the record straight, during the July 6, 2011 interview with OCA (Office of Consular Affairs) executive director Felipe F. Cariño III, the Department of Foreign Affairs merely reiterated its previous findings regarding the travel document bearing series number 34258, which was reported in various media, to wit:

That it was still with the department and had not been sent out to any Philippine post abroad;

That Philippine consulates-general in Hong Kong, Macau, Xiamen and Guangzhou denied issuing a travel document to Sen. Panfilo Lacson and;

That document 34258 was not among the series of travel documents issued to the above-mentioned posts.

More importantly, the DFA, through Cariño or any of its officials, never made a pronouncement that the travel document used by Senator Lacson was “fake” and “manufactured,” as reported by the Inquirer.

This matter, however, has been rendered moot after the DFA, through Undersecretary Rafael E. Seguis, in a letter to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, dated March 31, 2011, referred this case for disposition to the Department of Justice.

In this light, it is earnestly hoped that future reports involving the DFA and any of its officials be handled with utmost sensitivity and responsibility to avoid any inaccurate statements from reaching the public.

—RAFAEL E. SEGUIS,

undersecretary for administration,

Department of Foreign Affairs

The Inquirer was not the only media outlet that ran the story on July 7. At least two broadsheets and the websites of two TV networks carried the same story, which quoted Felipe “Bong” Cariño as having tagged as “fake” and “manufactured” the travel document used by Senator Lacson when he returned to the country after a year in hiding.

—JERRY E. ESPLANADA,

reporter, Inquirer