New witness swears she saw Lacson-Dacer altercation
The new witness to be presented by the family of slain publicist Salvador âBubby" Dacer has asserted that a week before the killing, she saw then-chief of national police and now Senator Panfilo Lacson arguing with the veteran PR man. In an exclusive interview with GMA News reporter Jun Veneracion on Thursday, Lymith Bagual recounted that sometime in November 2000, she witnessed Lacson berating Dacer at a resort in Batangas province. âTinatanong niya si Dacer bakit hindi tumutupad si Dacer sa pinag-usapan nila. Yun na, minumura na niya (Lacson was asking Dacer why the latter was not complying with what they agreed on. Then Lacson started swearing at Dacer)," said Bagual, a laundry woman.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Bagual quoted Lacson as telling Dacer: âHindi ka tumutupad sa pinag-usapan. Ikaw pa yung magpapahamak sa akin (Youâre not following what we agreed on. Youâll get me in trouble)." Dacer then told Lacson not to blame him for what happened, according to Bagual. Bagual described Dacer as calm while Lacson slammed his fists on the table and shouted at him. The witness said she saw Dacer on Lacsonâs left side. On Lacsonâs right, she said, was former police Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao II. Bagual said she was about 10 meters away from their table. The conversation lasted for almost an hour. After they talked, Lacson allegedly stood up and told one of his men to get Dacer out of the room. Dacer, however, did not move. âAng sabi nga ng driver, hindi sila lalabas. Magkakamatayan na sila (The driver said they wonât leave, and theyâd rather fight to the death)." Abducted, killed A week later, on Nov. 24, 2000, Bagual said she was shocked to find out through news reports that Dacer had disappeared with driver Emmanuel Corbito. On Nov. 24, 2000 at around 10 a.m., Dacer and Corbito were abducted at the intersection of Zobel Roxas St. and Osmeña Highway in Manila, allegedly by agents of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) then headed by Lacson. Later that night, the two victims were allegedly strangled to death and their bodies burned to ashes. All that was later recovered in Barangay Buna Lejos in Indang town, Cavite province, were dental and bone fragments. Villarâs ploy? Lacson has repeatedly denied involvement in the twin killings. The senator had earlier belittled Bagualâs allegations and expected testimony in a Department of Justice hearing next week. Lacson said he was not fond of going to beaches and so could not possibly be the man Bagual saw arguing with Dacer. Lacson also accused Senate Manuel Villar Jr. â his political nemesis â of having a hand in the plan of Dacer's camp to present Bagual. The senator said Villar could have asked former Batangas governor Armando Sanchez, purportedly a supporter of Villarâs Nacionalista Party (NP), to âproduce" a new witness for the case. Lacson also claimed that the Dacer familyâs counsel, Demetrio Custodio, once served as Villarâs lawyer in the latterâs land dispute cases in Bulacan. Villarâs camp dismissed Lacsonâs counter-allegations. âThe issue is so far-fetched. Tinatawanan na lang namin âyan (We just laugh it off). Itâs untrue," Judith Sto. Domingo, NP media officer, said. In Thursdayâs interview, Bagual said there was no truth to Lacsonâs counter-allegations. âYung nagsasabi na pakawala ako ni Villar, mangilabot sila sa sinasabi nila (Those who say that Iâm Villarâs attack dog, they should be horrified at what they are saying)," she said. - Sophia M. Dedace, GMANews.TV