No word from witness vs Michael Ray in Dacer murder case

Justice remains elusive for the family of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver who were kidnapped in Manila and murdered almost five years ago.

Even though the Supreme Court recently handed down its decision allowing Superintendent Glenn Dumlao to become a state witness in the murders of Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito, the government and the victims’ families have yet to hear from the proposed witness.

"What we gathered is that Dumlao has joined Aquino and Mancao abroad after he left the care of the Intelligence Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP)," a source said, referring to former police senior superintendents Michael Ray Aquino and Cesar Mancao.

Aquino is now facing espionage charges in the United States while Mancao has reportedly been working with a security firm in San Francisco. Aquino and Mancao left the country in July 2001 following reports that they would be implicated in the bloody siege on Malacañang on May 1, 2001.

The Labor Day incident was allegedly a bid to oust President Arroyo and reinstate jailed President Joseph Estrada, who was removed from power amid corruption charges.

Sources said Dumlao left the country in June 2003 reportedly in disgust over the snail-paced investigation by the police and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) into the kidnap-slay of Dacer and Corbito last Nov. 24, 2000.

Dumlao was taken under the PNP’s Intelligence Group and was then placed under Chief Supt. Jaime Caringal after he expressed willingness to reveal all about the planned execution of Dacer.

He also implicated Aquino and Mancao in the case. Both were then assigned to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force headed by now Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

The Supreme Court recently ruled that Dumlao could be used as a state witness, since he is considered the least guilty in the crime. Dumlao earlier alleged that he was merely acting on the orders of his superiors.

Investigators said Dumlao is one of the vital witnesses in the case, since he was allegedly privy to the planning and execution of the kidnap-slay.

On the morning of Nov. 24, 2000, Dacer and his driver were blocked by a group of men on Osmeña Highway (formerly South Superhighway) in San Andres, Manila.

Dacer’s disappearance was reported by former President Fidel Ramos, whom Dacer was set to meet that morning at the Manila Hotel where Dacer used to hold office.

The charred bodies of Dacer and Corbito were later found in a remote barangay in Indang, Cavite.