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April 1, 2001, The Philippine Star, FVR, Estrada willing to talk on Dacer slay,
Former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada both expressed willingness yesterday to cooperate in the investigation of the kidnap-murder of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer.
"I will attend the inquiry if that is needed," Estrada said at a press conference in Naga City where he led the campaign of opposition senatorial candidates.
Estrada appeared to have had a change of heart as he earlier resented insinuations that he had a hand in the double murder.
"Why should I (allow myself to be interrogated?) I have nothing to do with that Dacer case," an indignant Estrada said Friday night.
Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said on Friday he wanted the two former leaders to shed light on the case.
He explained that Ramos may be able to contribute significant information since he was the first person to report Dacer's disappearance following the publicist's failure to show up for their appointment at the Manila Hotel on Nov. 24.
Perez said Estrada would also be interviewed because Dacer's daughter had said the ousted leader and her father had an altercation at Malacañang two days before he was snatched by armed men along South Superhighway corner Zobel Roxas Street at the boundary of Manila and Makati City.
Other prominent persons who may be asked to shed light on the case are former National Security Adviser Jose Almonte, Ombudsman Aniano Desierto and Caloocan Rep. Luis "Baby" Asistio.
President Arroyo said she would support any findings that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) may come up with.
The President also chided former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Panfilo Lacson, now a senatorial candidate of the opposition coalition Puwersa ng Masa, for denying complicity in the kidnapping and murder of Dacer and driver Emmanuel Corbito.
NBI operatives arrested on Wednesday two farmers form Barangay Bona Lejos I in Indang town, Cavite who have admitted their participation in the twin slayings.
Suspects Jimmy Lopez and Alex Diloy alleged that at least six agents of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF) delivered the two victims to a garage owned by Jimmy's brother William in the evening of Nov. 24.
The suspects said Dacer and Corbito, who were trussed up and blindfolded, were taken later to a creek where they were strangled to death with a piece of electric cord before their bodies were doused with petroleum and burned in a pyre of firewood and discarded car tires.
Lacson was concurrent chief of the PAOCTF prior to his retirement shortly after the historic, military-backed people power II that unseated Estrada and installed then Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the new president.
At the press conference, Estrada told reporters he had no animosity with Dacer even as the public relations practitioner had joined the camp of Ramos and Almonte.
"I understood his position in the Ramos administration. Hanap-buhay lamang -yan (He was just earning a living)," Estrada said.
He pointed out that Dacer was his long-time friend, and that he even stood as one of the sponsors at the wedding of Dacer's daughter.
At the same time, Estrada bewailed Almonte's move of making public a letter purportedly written by Dacer expressing serious concern for his safety.
"Bakit ngayon lang niya sinabi ito? Dahil ba sa kampanya? (Why did he reveal this only now? Is it because of the political campaign?)" Estrada asked.
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