EDITORIAL - A 10-year-old mystery

The bombshell promised by Sen. Panfilo Lacson regarding the case of Edgar Bentain turned out to be a dud. Still, Lacson said enough to point the finger of blame in the direction of a certain resident of Polk Street in Greenhills, San Juan. Though no one was identified, Lacson left it to his audience to put two and two together as he continued his “revelations” on his former boss, Joseph Estrada, who happens to be the most prominent resident of Polk Street.

The oblique reference would have to do for now, Lacson said as he admitted that he had no direct participation and therefore no direct knowledge of the disappearance of Bentain, a 36-year-old video technician of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Bentain was snatched in front of what was then the Silahis Hotel along Roxas Boulevard in Manila on Jan. 16, 1999, six months into the Estrada administration.

Manuel Morato, former chairman of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, disclosed that Bentain had given him video footage showing Estrada playing high-stakes baccarat with his friend and future gaming consultant Charlie “Atong” Ang in the VIP pit of the hotel casino. Morato had released the video before the May 1998 presidential race as part of efforts to discredit Estrada, who won by a landslide.

Lacson said that shortly after the disappearance, he overheard the Polk Street resident talking with a police officer. The officer, Lacson said, told the Polk Street resident, “Mission accomplished.” Lacson did not directly link this purported conversation with the Bentain case, but he said he was conducting further investigation.

Yesterday Bentain’s relatives and friends went to the hotel where he was snatched to light candles and pray. Will they ever find out what happened to Bentain? If Lacson’s hints are accurate, this case could give a glimpse into the way state forces are used for heinous personal ends. The truth must be known and justice served, to prevent a repeat of the tragedy of Bentain.