President Estrada admitted yesterday that on Nov. 22, he had a meeting with Dacer, a kumpadre who had offered to help the administration in its media and public relations campaign for the impeachment trial.
"It was just a friendly visit and meeting. That’s all," he said.
Mr. Estrada expressed disbelief at insinuations that the administration had a hand in the mysterious disappearance of Dacer last Friday.
"What have we got to do with his disappearance? Now, I’m being blamed for everything," the President rued.
Mr. Estrada admitted that the meeting took place last Wednesday, the eve of his departure for Singapore to attend an informal leaders’ summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Present at Malacañang were Dacer, his daughter and son-in-law, and Asistio. The President is godfather to the daughter, Ampy Dacer-Henson, while Asistio is the uncle of her husband.
"We had a friendly chat. He even offered me help, and I told him we’ll talk when I get back (from Singapore)," Mr. Estrada said.
The President returned to Manila Saturday, a day after Dacer was reported missing by his relatives and staff.
In a separate interview, Asistio said Dacer was at his Caloocan City residence last Wednesday for a party before the two of them proceeded to the Palace for a casual chat with the President.
"During the conversation, which lasted about 30 minutes, I learned that he (Dacer) and President Estrada were kumpadres. The President stood as a wedding sponsor to one of his children," the congressman said.
He said that at one point, the President complained that he was being pummeled in connection with media’s coverage of the impeachment trial.
The congressman said that on the way out of the Palace, he was the one who suggested possible assistance to Mr. Estrada.
"Maybe we can help him," Asistio said, repeating what he told Dacer.
He pointed out that Dacer, a long-time friend, made no commitment. Palace insiders told The STAR that they saw Dacer carrying a huge bag when he and his party left the Malacañang premises. However, they would not say what the bag contained.
Press Secretary Puno said yesterday that Dacer had been given "a few assignments" by the President during the meeting at Malacañang last week.
Puno clarified that he was not privy to the exact nature of the assignments, only that Dacer was supposed to help prop up the sagging popularity of the President in the face of the opposition’s media attacks.
"While known as someone working for the ‘other side,’ he (Dacer) has apparently been convinced, through Congressman Asistio, to try to do work for the administration’s effort to explain the President’s position regarding the issues," Puno said.
Dacer had been suspected of being behind the alleged destabilization plot against the government along with former President Fidel Ramos and former national security adviser Jose Almonte.
"You are hereby directed to do everything to find Mr. Dacer. I expect an initial report on all actions taken within 48 hours from receipt hereof," Mr. Estrada stated in his memorandum to the PNP chief.
Similar directives were given to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Federico Opinion and the executive director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF).
"I’ve ordered them to look for my kumpadre," the President told reporters.
The orders were issued at the same time Mr. Ramos appealed to Mr. Estrada to "personally and officially" direct all law enforcement and investigative agencies, including local government units, to exert maximum effort in locating and safely recovering the missing PR man.
In a press statement, Ramos said the anguish of Dacer’s four daughters, his mother and close relatives could be assuaged by the President’s commitment to putting maximum effort in finding the missing publicist.
"My concern for Bubby as a dear friend dates back to EDSA in 1986. And I can understand the depth of suffering of his loved ones at this time," the former president said.
Ramos noted that Dacer’s reported visit to Malacañang should be clarified by Mr. Estrada.
"The President, no less, should make a clean breast of the mysterious meeting which is only now coming out in the news," he said.
Meanwhile, a special task force made up of NBI agents, elite units from five PNP districts, and members of the Camp Crame-based Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) was formed to help untangle the Dacer mystery.
The group, which will look into every possible lead and angle surrounding the disappearance, will be headed by Southern Police director Senior Superintendent Manuel Cabigon.
The Western Police District (WPD) admitted yesterday that their operations have so far yielded nothing.
"There are no witnesses yet. The family has received no ransom demand. And reports about their vehicle being spotted came out negative," WPD Chief Superintendent Avelino Razon told reporters yesterday.
Dacer 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.
At the same time, Marquez also created "Task Force: Dacer," which will join in the search for the missing PR man.
The group will be led by the mayor himself and his police chief, Superintendent Jaime de Vera. Members will include some 10 policemen of the mayor’s Traffic Action Group and concerned citizens.
The reward will come from the mayor’s intelligence fund.
"Mr. Dacer and his family are our constituents. The city government would like to respond to their call for assistance by helping in the search," Marquez said.
He clarified that their response has absolutely nothing to do with politics or Dacer’s affiliation with any particular group.
"We are not doing this because the person missing is Mr. Dacer. We will do the same for any Parañaqueno," the mayor said.
Meanwhile, the Pampanga police investigators are looking into the recovery of a fair-complexioned man along a portion of the North Luzon Expressway in Barangay Akle in Mexico town.
Probers from Camp Olivas rushed to the site after a farmer found the body immersed in a muddy creek below a bridge at around 6:30 a.m. yesterday.
The body bore bullet wounds below the right armpit and on the left side of the abdomen. Probers said the victim could have been killed six hours earlier.
However, Central Luzon police director Chief Superintendent Roberto Calinisan doubted the body found was that of the missing Dacer.
"The clothes of the victim did not match those last seen worn by the missing PR man. What we found was a male no older than 50 years old," Calinisan said. Dacer is 63.
Nevertheless, Calinisan directed the Pampanga police to immediately identify the body. Officers have already requested relatives to help in the identification. – With Jaime Laude, Mike Frialde, Rainier Allan Ronda, Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu