NBI steps into case of missing PR man

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) joined other law enforcement agencies yesterday in the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of public relations consultant Salvador "Bubby" Dacer.

President Estrada has expressed his concern over the disappearance of Dacer, whose clients include former President Fidel Ramos and former national security adviser Jose Almonte, a Malacañang official said.

"While the President is not alarmed, he is just as concerned as anybody would be over someone missing," Press Undersecretary Antonio Seva said.

Agents of the country’s top investigative body stepped into the case after Dacer family spokesman Edwin Fargas sought the assistance of NBI Director Federico Opinion in determining the whereabouts of Dacer and close aide and driver, Emmanuel Corbito.

"NBI assistance will surely be a great help to the ongoing probe being carried out by other law enforcement divisions," Fargas said in a letter to Opinion.

The NBI will be conducting an investigation parallel with the work being carried out by the elite Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), Western Police District (WPD) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Alfredo Lim assured the family of Dacer yesterday that the country’s top law agencies would be combining their efforts to find the missing PR man.

"We assure them that all efforts would be exerted to establish Mr. Dacer’s whereabouts," Lim told The STAR in a brief interview at the Manila Yacht Club yesterday.

Lim has directed National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Edgar Aglipay to mobilize his men and look into all possible leads.

"I have asked General Aglipay to coordinate with all law enforcement agencies in finding him," he said.

Dacer, 63, disappeared along with his driver Friday noon while on his way to office at the Manila Hotel for an appointment with Mr. Ramos, a friend and client. Dacer left his Parañaque residence with his driver on a white Toyota Revo with license plates WES-294 at 9 a.m. and was last in touch with his secretary at 10:15 a.m.

Dacer’s family earlier asked help of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Panfilo Lacson and WPD director Chief Superintendent Avelino Razon to help trace their father shortly after they suspected foul play.

Razon has formed a crack team of police agents to trace the missing PR man.

Meanwhile, sources from the PNP said an independent group of police officers has started conducting its own probe into the mysterious disappearance of the PR man.

"There is a probe being conducted by a group that seems to feel that the PNP is half-hearted in solving this case. They have taken interest in identifying persons possibly involved with the disappearance of Mr. Dacer," a police source said.

‘New chapter’ in harassment scored

Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo accused the government of harassment yesterday after armed men tried to break into the home of her chief of staff over the weekend.

The men allegedly tried to pass themselves off as agents of the NBI when trying to gain access into the home of Renato Corona on Saturday, she said.

The Vice President noted that the incident took place a day after Dacer went missing.

Arroyo said the attempted break-in was the start of a "new chapter" of government harassment against members of the opposition, who had repeatedly called for the President to resign ahead of his trial at the Senate.

"It has started, we are now in the new chapter," the Vice President told reporters at a prayer rally in Manila.

She said Corona will call a press conference today.

Arroyo said one of Dacer’s daughters, to whom she is godmother, called her immediately after her father failed to show up for a scheduled meeting with Ramos.

"I hope government agencies will do everything to find him," the Vice President said, adding that she has told Dacer’s family she was praying for his safety.

Police said yesterday they had launched a search for Dacer, whose disappearance his family said could be linked to allegations he was part of a political conspiracy to "destabilize" the Estrada administration.

The PNP said authorities were treating Dacer’s disappearance as a missing persons case until the "real circumstances" behind the incident are known.

"So far, we are not declaring it as a kidnapping case since there have been no indications that he was indeed abducted," Lacson told reporters. – With reports from Cecille Suerte Felipe, Cristina Mendez