Villar: Lacson getting desperate

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. accused Sen. Panfilo Lacson yesterday of lying on allegations linking him to the case build-up and gathering of witnesses in the murders of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.

Villar said Lacson is apparently getting desperate by linking everyone to the murders.

“I am actually surprised with Senator Lacson’s revelations. But he is lying. I don’t want to meddle in that case. If I wanted to, I would have done so a long time ago, but I did not. I am very busy with the campaign,” Villar said.

Lacson had claimed Villar was building up the case to pin him down further in the murders of Dacer and Corbito.

Lacson voiced his suspicion over RMN radio last Saturday that Villar’s supporters, including former Batangas Gov. Armand Sanchez, convinced a supposed witness who reportedly saw Lacson arguing with Dacer in a beach resort in the province a week before the publicist was snatched and killed.

Villar denied the allegations. He said recent developments in the Dacer-Corbito case indicating that Lacson had a hand in the murders was the reason why the senator was getting desperate.

“I absolutely have no idea (what Lacson is talking about). He is looking for someone to blame. He is lying,” Villar said.

Villar, president of the Nacionalista Party (NP), admitted he has many political allies in Batangas, including the former governor.

Villar stressed he also has allies among Sanchez’s political enemies, including former senator and socio-economic secretary Ralph Recto, husband of incumbent Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto.

Both Villar and former senator Recto belong to the Wednesday Club at the Senate that also includes Vice President Noli de Castro and Sen. Joker Arroyo.

Villar maintained his alliance with Sanchez does not go to a point where they would work together to pin down Lacson. “Besides, that’s not my style,” he said.

Villar also noted Lacson has implicated former President Joseph Estrada in the murders.

Villar said he continues to respect Estrada but does not want to be involved in the row with Lacson.

NP spokesman Gilbert Remulla said Lacson is “running out of people to point his fingers at.” 

Remulla said Lacson is apparently getting even and has resorted to finger pointing after he could not bring down Villar despite his exposés.

Villar is facing an ethics probe at the Senate after he was accused by Lacson of double insertion in the 2008 national budget to finance a road project that would benefit the housing projects in Las Piñas and Parañaque City that he owns.

“He (Lacson) failed to establish anything in the C5 Road issue, and now he conjures another allegation against Sen. Villar,” Remulla added.

“It’s his continuing attempt to destroy the good name of Senator Villar.”

Remulla suggested Malacañang is orchestrating Lacson’s latest tirades.

“Why don’t we see who he is not hitting now? He is not hitting GMA (President Arroyo),” he said.