‘It’s not over until we find out who is behind it’

For Salvador "Bubby" Dacer’s family, there’s still one crucial piece missing.

"It’s not over yet until we find out who was behind it and the reason why he was abducted and killed," Karina Dacer, youngest daughter of the publicist, said amid reports that authorities have unraveled the mysterious disappearance of her father, whose charred remains were believed recovered yesterday in Cavite.

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Karina, who is staying in California, said they were not coming home yet, citing as reason "legal impediments." She did not elaborate.

The Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) presented to the media yesterday two farmers from Indang town in Cavite who owned up to their participation in the killing four months ago of the 63-year-old Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito.

"We don’t want to conclude yet who did it. We have been assured by the NBI that they have a strong case," Karina said.

Suspects Jimmy Lopez and Alex Diloy, who were arrested on Wednesday in Barangay Bona Lejos I in Indang, claimed at least six agents of the elite Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force, then headed by concurrent Philippine National Police chief Director General Panfilo Lacson, brought the victims to their place where they were subsequently strangled to death and burned in a pyre.

Meanwhile, the widow of a police officer linked to a kidnapping case denounced an alleged demolition job against Lacson by reviving a television interview of her husband implicating Lacson in illegal activities.

Levina Mateo told reporters that the ruling People’s Power Coalition has launched a vicious hate campaign against Lacson.

Film footage of the interview showed her dying husband purportedly claiming that Lacson was involved in kidnappings for which he and former retired Senior Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya were convicted for the kidnapping for ransom of Taiwanese businessman Jack Chou six years ago.

Lacson, currently a senatorial candidate of the opposition coalition Puwersa ng Masa, was instrumental in the arrest and conviction of Berroya’s group.

"I am appealing to the People Power Coalition to stop this demolition job against Ping Lacson," Levina said.

She said she was making the call out of her own volition, adding she never talked to Lacson or any of his campaign leaders.

Levina issued the call during a press conference with lawyer Ric Valmonte beside her. She said a columnist-friend referred her to Valmonte who organized the press conference. — Jose Aravilla