Lacson decries 'serious injustice'

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Panfilo Lacson said yesterday the daughters of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer were “gravely mistaken” and could be committing a more serious injustice in implicating him in the gruesome murders of their father and his driver more than eight years ago.

“While I respect the right of the Dacer family to find justice under our criminal justice system, they are gravely mistaken and being misguided with their recent action,” Lacson said in a text message.

He was referring to the complaint filed by Dacer’s daughters Carina, Sabrina, Emily and Amparo tagging him as the mastermind in the murders.

Dacer and Corbito were abducted in broad daylight at the intersection of Zobel Roxas street and Osmeña Highway in Manila on Nov. 24, 2000. Their vehicle and what were believed to be their charred remains were found later in Cavite. 

“In their desire to seek justice, they will be committing a more serious injustice by implicating me in the crime,” Lacson said.

“To my own family, friends and supporters, this much I can tell them – I have said time and again and I will say it again, I had nothing to do with the Dacer-Corbito case. And as long as truth and evidence will be the basis in resolving this case, I have nothing to fear,” Lacson said.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the filing of the complaint-affidavit by the Dacer sisters “will accelerate the reopening of the case.”

The Dacer sisters used as one of the bases of the complaint the Feb. 14, 2009 affidavit of former police senior superintendent Cezar Mancao II, which pointed to Lacson and a certain “Bigote” as the ones behind the murders.

Apparently aware of the political color of the case, Malacañang said it would rather let Gonzalez tackle the issue.

“We leave the matter of the case to the Department of Justice and Secretary Gonzalez. We don’t meddle in this issue,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde told a news briefing.

But he said Mancao, who is expected to be extradited from the US on March 31, would be given protection when he arrives in the country.

“It is the policy of government to assure the safety of every Filipino, every individual in the country whether Mancao or anyone else,” he said. - with Paolo Romero