Only PNP, Lacson’s men capable of Dacer abduction – Chavit

President Estrada’s nemesis, Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, yesterday accused the nation’s police force and its crack task force led by Estrada protegé Panfilo Lacson of abducting publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer.

Singson said Dacer’s abduction was uncannily similar to his own experience with the police in early October, which prompted him to ignite the scandal that is now gripping the country and threatening to topple the presidency.

Three witnesses, who surfaced last Tuesday, said several armed unidentified men in three vehicles intercepted Dacer’s white Toyota Revo van at the intersection of Osmeña (formerly South Super) Highway and Zobel Roxas on the boundary between Manila and Makati.

Dacer was on his way to a meeting with former President Fidel Ramos, a friend and client, when his van was blocked by a white car and sandwiched by a Toyota van and a red car.

One of the men, who wore a jacket over what appeared to be a police uniform and carried an Armalite automatic rifle, hit Dacer’s driver, Emmanuel Corbito, on the nape when he resisted, the three street vendors said.

"I was about to approach the van to sell hand towels when the driver suddenly alighted with an M-16 rifle. The driver even attempted to wear a white polo shirt to conceal his police uniform," one of the witnesses said, who all wore black ski masks to hide their faces from reporters. They refused to give their identities.

Corbito was then dragged to one of the vehicles while four other suspects then commandeered Dacer’s van with Dacer inside, the witnesses said. The vendors said they were several meters away from the incident when it occurred.

Samuel Ong, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation’s Metro Manila office, said the witnesses were initially unwilling to come forward and had to be persuaded by NBI agents searching for Dacer.

"Only the (Philippine National Police) and the (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force) has the capability to do that," Singson told a press conference. "Who else has the guts to do that even in uniform?"

PNP chief Director General Panfilo Lacson, head of the elite task force, is on an overseas trip and could not be reached for comment. PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome refused to comment on Singson’s suspicions.

Singson said Dacer’s abduction followed a "police pattern" similar to his brush with policemen nearly two months ago, which he said was an assassination attempt.

On the night of Oct. 4, several policemen aboard three vehicles stopped Singson’s vehicle in Manila, claiming he went through a red light. Singson said his bodyguards’ presence foiled what could’ve been an attempt to silence him.

Singson said that was the last straw that prompted him to go public and accuse Mr. Estrada of accepting bribes from jueteng bosses.

Shortly before Dacer disappeared, Singson said Dacer telephoned him at least thrice and revealed that the latter knew about an anomaly involving billions of pesos. But Singson said he cut the conversation short, fearing that his phone was bugged.

"This is big. I am sure it has something to do with the administration," Singson said, adding that it could involve Mr. Estrada and other "prominent personalities."

Dacer’s van was found ditched in a ravine in the town of Maragondon, Cavite with no sign of Dacer or his driver. – With Mike Frialde, Jaime Laude,