Dumlao starts flight back to Manila

Former police superintendent Glenn Dumlao, a suspect in the murder of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer in November 2000, has started his flight back to Manila and was expected to arrive on Sunday.

ABS-CBN North America News Bureau chief Ging Reyes reported that Dumlao boarded Philippine Airlines flight PR 103 at the Los Angeles International Airport. It was scheduled to leave the airport 10:35 p.m. Friday (California time).

Reyes said that according to Claro de Castro, head of the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) Interpol division, Dumlao was in good health and seemed glad to see them.

Another NBI official and lawyer Morel Callueng were accompanying Dumlao in his flight back home.

Reyes reported that US authorities refused to allow media to take a footage of Dumlao citing security reasons. The former police officer was asked to wait at the airport's tarmac while his extradition papers were being finalized by the US Marshals and the NBI team headed by De Castro.

The report said Dumlao was carrying only one suitcase with a few clothes and personal belonging, which were all prepared for him by his wife in New York.

Dumlao, who is also being eyed by the government to be used a state witness in the Dacer-Corbito murder case, was expected to arrive in Manila on Sunday.

From the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the former police officer will be transported to the NBI headquarters, where he will be served with an arrest warrant.

Before Dumlao, former police superintendent Cezar Mancao was extradited to the Philippines last month.

Mancao has been placed under the government’s Witness Protection Program.

Last February, Mancao executed an affidavit in US where he mentioned the names of Sen. Panfilo Lacson, former head of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force and former President Joseph Estrada.

Both officials had denied involvement in the kidnapping and murder of the publicist and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito.