Estrada, Lacson among plotters to kill Dacer
By Tina Santos, Maila Ager
Philippine Daily Inquirer, INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:13:00 09/03/2009
Filed Under: Crime, Murder
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE) Former Senior Superintendent Cezar Mancao on Thursday identified eight people, including former president Joseph Estrada and Senator Panfilo Lacson, as being behind an alleged plot to kill publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer.
Mancao made the disclosure during his direct testimony at the Manila Regional Trial Court Thursday afternoon, his lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, told reporters.
Topacio said Mancao testified that the slay plot was contained in “Operation Delta,” a covert operation supposedly designed to ‘neutralize’ Dacer.
Reporters were barred from covering the trial on the murders of Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in 2000.
Lacson maintained his innocence as he accused Mancao of lying under oath.
"For the nth time, I maintain my innocence and even absence of knowledge pertaining to the Dacer-Corbito case," he said.
"Either Mancao deliberately lied under oath or he didn't know what he was talking about in court," Lacson said.
He said Mancao could be under "tremendous pressure" to implicate him in the twin murders.
"I am sorry for him," Lacson said. "While I can understand the tremendous pressure being applied by this administration on him, he should at least stick to the truth and respect his oath by stating only the facts and not hearsays and his opinion.”
Estrada had earlier denied involvement in the killings.