Philippine senator accused of murder faces public

A Philippine senator who fled double murder charges more than a year ago faced the public Monday for the first time since his return, claiming that he went into hiding because the previous government had conspired to put him behind bars.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson arrived in the Philippines on Saturday from Hong Kong after a court voided the arrest warrant against him. He told a news conference Monday that he had been "a fugitive from injustice."

Lacson was charged with the killings of high-profile publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer, who represented a number of top political figures, and Dacer's driver in 2000.

He said he became a fugitive after justice department contacts told him that the government of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo allowed prosecutors to set aside rules of evidence to jail him for a crime he did not commit.

Lacson, a former national police chief, was one of Arroyo's staunchest critics. He left for Hong Kong on Jan. 5, 2010, and in a statement a month later said he was a victim of an alleged conspiracy involving Arroyo and feared for his life.

A spokesman for Arroyo has said in the past that the case is a matter for the courts.

The Court of Appeals ruled last month that there was no probable cause for the arrest warrant and said the main witness against him - one of his former police deputies - was unreliable. The trial court's options include ordering a reinvestigation or dismissing the case on a motion by Lacson's lawyers.

US-Philippine military drills may be scaled back

Officials say annual exercises involving thousands of U.S. and Filipino troops will be held next month as scheduled but may be scaled back because of U.S. military relief operations in Japan following its massive earthquake and tsunami.

Philippine military spokesman Maj. Enrico Ileto said Sunday that humanitarian missions such as school construction during the April 5-15 Balikatan exercises will proceed as planned but some field maneuvers may be affected by the U.S. military's relief activities in Japan.

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Thompson said some "transportation assets" for the exercises can possibly be shifted to Japan. Details of other possible changes are to be announced later.

About 8,000 U.S. and Filipino troops are to join the exercises.

Actor with HIV allowed to enter Philippines

The Philippine immigration chief said Thursday he has rescinded an order barring a movie and theater actor who is HIV positive from entering the country, calling it a mistake and violation of the government's international commitments.

Filipino-Australian actor Marcelino Cavestany said he was unaware he had been banned and shocked when immigration officers at the Manila airport stopped him upon arrival from Australia on Sunday because his name appeared on an immigration blacklist.

Cavestany told GMA television that he has been living with HIV for the past 12 years and has been an activist since 2006, using theater to promote AIDS awareness among Filipinos.

The Philippine Commission on Human Rights said Thursday it was "dismayed and deeply alarmed" by the blacklisting. It said it was "unacceptable and illegal," citing a 1998 Philippine law that guarantees HIV positive individuals freedom to travel.

"Ironically, Mr. Cavestany had intended to travel to the Philippines to help educate Filipinos on the effects of AIDS," the commission said.

Philippines sends warplanes near disputed islands

The Philippine military deployed two warplanes near a disputed area in the South China Sea after a ship searching for oil complained it was harassed by two Chinese patrol boats, officials said Thursday.

The Chinese vessels later left without confrontation, said Philippine military commander Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban.

The incident happened Wednesday at the Reed Bank, which is near the disputed Spratly Islands that are claimed by the Philippines, China and other nations, said Sabban, who heads the military's Western Command. Philippine officials said the Reed Bank is clearly within Philippine territory.

"The boats approached in a way that the Philippine vessel thought it was better to back off," Carandang told The Associated Press.