2 ‘witnesses’ in Dacer-Corbito case to testify - DOJ chief

MANILA, Philippines - Two civilians claiming to have gathered the firewood used to burn the bodies of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito have volunteered to testify in the case, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said Friday. In a press conference, Gonzalez said the story of the supposed witnesses appear "corroborative" although he is still authenticating their claim that they were involved in the November 2000 incident. "Itong dalawa pumunta rito [These two came forward], they were the ones who gathered firewood to burn the bodies," Gonzalez said. "I am not discounting them kasi [ang] sinasabi nila appear to be corroborative of the story itself," he said. Gonzalez, however, said he doubts whether the two civilians will be able to point to the crime's mastermind, saying they will probably only be able to point to those who ordered them to gather firewood. If the two supposed witnesses turn out to be fake, their statements will not be used as testimonies, the DOJ chief said. Gonzalez added that he has not been able to talk to former Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief and retired police Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya, who has offered to testify in the case. Berroya, a long-time nemesis of Senator Panfilo Lacson who was then Philippine National Police chief at the time of the crime, claimed to be the first subject of the assassination attempt. But former Superintendent Glenn Dumlao, one of the suspects, is expected to be extradited back to the country sometime between March 21 to 26, said Gonzalez. Gonzalez, however, said he is unaware when National Bureau of Investigation officials will leave the country to fetch Dumlao in the United States. - GMANews.TV