CIDG set to release Dacer case findings

MANILA, Philippines - The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police is set to release the results of its investigation of the November 2000 murders of Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.

CIDG director Chief Superintendent Raul Castañeda said he had directed legal division chief Virgilio Publico to gather all records of their investigation of the eight-year-old murder case.

Castañeda, however, stressed it would take time to gather all the records pertinent to the case.

“The chief investigator, a certain Larry Pablo, also died of a heart attack years back so it would take time for us to gather the case records,” he said.

Castañeda pointed out the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also made a parallel investigation of the case, which may have a more complete picture of the murders.

“Maybe the NBI records were intact unlike ours which could be gathering dust by now,” he said.

Castañeda made the statement after Sen. Panfilo Lacson urged the CIDG to release the result of their investigation into the killings.

Lacson maintained he had nothing to do with the murders and said he also made an investigation of the case on his own.

Lacson said he had directed the CIDG to conduct an investigation into the murders when he was then chief of the PNP.

But when President Joseph Estrada was ousted from office barely a couple of months after the murders, Lacson said the probe was “overtaken by events” and he was unable to see the result of the CIDG’s investigation.

According to Lacson, he went on to investigate the case even after his term as PNP chief “out of curiosity.”

“I have come to my own personal conclusion on the case. But since this is an unofficial investigation, I cannot reveal my conclusions to you now,” Lacson told reporters last Friday.

Lacson said he may eventually reveal his findings which involved some personalities, “but not during this administration as I don’t expect any fair treatment under this government.”

Lacson was named among the principal suspects in the murders, based on the affidavits made by his protégés, former police senior superintendents Cezar Mancao and Glenn Dumlao.

Mancao made the affidavit during his extradition hearing in the US earlier this month tagging Lacson as allegedly ordering the hit on Dacer.

Dumlao, however, made three conflicting affidavits, one of which he claimed he was forced to name Lacson as the mastermind of the murders.

On Mancao’s affidavit, Lacson said the former police official has been pressured to sign the sworn statement.

Lacson said Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza, chief of the Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), had called Mancao in September last year, offering to reinstate the former police colonel to the service in exchange for testifying on the case.

Lacson admitted he was saddened by Mancao’s supposed admission linking him to the murders.

“It pains me that a former friend and former subordinate has turned against me even to the point of sacrificing the truth,” Lacson said yesterday.

Lacson said he was hoping that Mancao would just tell the truth as he reminded his former subordinate of the assurances he made last year that he would not turn his back on him despite the pressures.

Lacson said Mancao sent a text message to him that read: “Ur right sir! Maricar (Mancao’s wife) said it too. I was hoping I can contribute something to propel u at the end. Rest assured of my loyalty I will desist the tempttn (sic). Sleep soundly sir…” 

Lacson said the text message was sent to him by Mancao on Jan. 4, 2008 at 7:31 p.m. Manila time, saying Prestoza made a call in September 2007.

He said Mancao sent the text message stating Prestoza was trying to convince him to implicate (Lacson) in the Dacer-Corbito case.

“I don’t intend to use Mancao’s January 08 text message to me against his interest. But I am compelled to bring it out in order to counter other forces that have taken advantage of his (Mancao’s) predicament and his weakness to use him against me,” Lacson said in a text message.

Prestoza was not available for comment as he flew to Australia yesterday.

A ranking intelligence official, however, said Lacson should wait for Mancao to reveal the contents of the affidavit and clarify the issues surrounding the controversial statement.

“If General Prestoza talked to Mancao two years ago, why did it take the latter almost 18 months to issue his affidavit? The truth is Mancao is now bothered by his conscience so he decided to tell all regarding what he knew about the case,” the official said.

Malacañang also asked Lacson to stop engaging in what officials called “squid tactics” to muddle up the issues surrounding the murder case.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde also dismissed allegations from Lacson that the administration was behind the scheme to link the opposition senator to the murders.

Remonde also dismissed Lacson’s claims that the administration was trying to prevent him from coming out with another expose.

“The administration is not worried over his (Lacson’s) so-called expose. After all, he must also present credible evidence,” Remonde said.

“We hope that what he (Lacson) is doing is not just squid tactics for him to avoid facing these serious allegations of murder against him,” he said. – With Christina Mendez, Jose Rodel Clapano