Dacer daughter to slay brains: Just admit it, set us free

MANILA, Philippines - The daughter of slain publicist Salvador “Bubby" Dacer on Thursday morning appealed to the people behind the murder of her father and their driver Emmanuel Corbito to come out now because an arrested suspect has identified them in a sworn affidavit. Carina Dacer said she was no longer surprised with the details that former Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II divulged in his sworn statement as well as with the personalities that the suspect identified. “Just admit it… That’s it. Set us free set your selves free. Dala niyo iyan hanggang sa pagtulog niyo [I know your conscience haunts you in your sleep]," the New-York based Dacer told radio dzBB in an overseas phone interview from New York. Dacer said although they have somewhat moved on nine years after the gruesome murder, they still couldn’t understand why the masterminds had to kill his father and their driver. I don’t think there is a valid reason to kill someone. That’s impossible, she said. “Sabi ko naman kahit umamin sila hindi na nila maibabalik ang buhay ng tatay ko [They won’t be able to bring back my father to life anyway if they admit]. When they admit to the crime, face the consequences. And when they finish the consequence they can move on," she added. Dacer refused to disclose the names Mancao identified in his sworn statement, saying it would be better if the suspect’s camp would to do so. She however assured that the people that the suspect identified were “very close, if not close [to being the masterminds]." After finally knowing the identities of the people who could be behind the murder, Dacer said that she no longer can bear seeing their faces on the newspaper or television. “Iniiwasan ko na lang… [Pero] Minsan actually natatawa na lang ako [I just avoid looking at them. But sometimes, I just can’t help myself but laugh at things]," Dacer said. “I think na ang mangyari kapag nagpadala ka sag galit [If you get carried away by your anger], you make him or them win again. [The mastermind] could be more than one," she added. The younger Dacer suspected that the affidavit made February 14 when she and Mancao met at his extradition hearing at Fort Lauderdale in Florida in the United States. “I almost cried… We’re thankful especially that finally someone’s willing to tell the whole story," Dacer said. Dacer said that she sensed Mancao’s sincerity when he promised to reveal everything that he know about the double murder of her father and their family driver. The two victims suddenly disappeared in 2000 and were burned to death by their abductors. The young Dacer said when Mancao approached her, he said he has decided to tell the truth because that was the only way that would set him free. “There was more remorse than anything. I didn’t see anything that would make me believe na binobola lang niya ako or napipilitan siya [that he was fooling me or he was being forced to do so]," Dacer said. “Sabi lang niya [He said that], hopefully by saying the truth it will set him free. I will never forget that," she added. Aside from Mancao, two other suspects were arrested in the US – former Superintendent Glenn Dumlao and Senior Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino. The latter, however, was collared by Federal agents for an espionage case. Mancao and Dumlao had already vowed not to oppose the extradition request from the Philippine government. Aquino is currently detained at the Federal Correctional Institution in Edgefield, South Carolina, a medium security facility housing male offenders. Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said Mancao’s wife, Maricar, had indicated as early as last year that her husband is willing to cooperate with the investigation. Gonzalez said Mancao could be brought back to the country within two weeks after a Florida court accepted his affidavit of consent to the extradition request. Mancao, Aquino and Dumlao were all with the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) then headed by Director General turned Senator Panfilo Lacson. This raised earlier speculations that the senator had something to do with the crime, a matter that Lacson had repeatedly belied. Another personality earlier linked to the crime was former President Joseph Estrada, who reportedly suspected Dacer of helping former President Fidel Ramos destabilize the Estrada administration. Like Lacson, Estrada had denied the accusations. - Mark Merueñas GMANews.TV