I SHUDDER at the revelations of the affidavit of Cesar Mancao implicating former Pres. Joseph Estrada, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, himself and the two other high-ranking PAOCTF officials, Michael Ray Aquino and Glenn Dumlao in the Dacer- Corbito double murder case.
Much of what he revealed is no longer surprising as they have already been accepted as truth since the discovery of the pair’s charred bodies.
Erap and Lacson are the only ones who had the motive, the means and, how shall I put it, “guts” to pull it off.
Still, reading all about how these men planned and executed the operation is chilling. The entire thing seemed so casual to them, like an everyday “operation.” You conclude that these are the types of people you wouldn’t want to get into the simplest argument or traffic altercation with.
I remember that some men were once roughed up and arrested by Michael Ray Aquino and they later tearfully complained that they were tortured. These people kill. They murder. Equally distressing are the seeming total lack of remorse and the temerity of these personalities to claim they are innocent.
Lacson even has the gall to say that he can look anyone in the eye and tell them that he had nothing to do with the murders. It would seem remotely possible if not for the ghost of Kuratong Baleleng.
Meanwhile, Erap denied he’s the “Bigote”–being referred to in the affidavit, who reacted indifferently when told that Dacer had already been “neutralized.” He even has plans to run for office again. Who made these monsters? How did they become inhuman as to abduct, torture and murder so easily? And totally profess innocence so convincingly you would think they may have a split personality. What killed their conscience, their humanity? I tremble at the thought of it all, that we have monsters in our midst who occupy the highest positions in government. My beloved country, I weep for you.
Anne Mendoza, Quezon City, via e-mail

22 Feedbacks on "Not so surprising revelations"
Vicente
Mancao’s testimony is the 2nd to the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle. What remains now is that of M. R. Aquino. Despite the absence of the last piece, the picture is cleare now.
Ric
To Anne Mendoza
Who made the monsters?Maybe people like you, who persecute and blame somebody as proven guilty even before any fair investigation has started. How you would react if anyone would point to you as a criminal and people would immediately treat you as guilty, without even starting any investigation?
Up to now, there are just the three affidavits of Mancao, where the second one recants his accusations in the first one and claims to be forced toimplicate Lacson and Estrada. So, if you believed him at the first affidavit, why the second one should not be true, too? It is not a big problem to influence a man in his situation where he could choose between returning and being charged for murder, or to sign anything in exchange for becoming state witness with all the attached privileges. No matter that in most honest judicial systems a state witness is not absolved completely, usually it only means benefitting of more favorable charges and judgement. Like getting the minimum sentence instead of the maximum, earlier release on probation etc. but not going scotfree even of any kind of heinous crime.
So, let us wait until Lacson and Estrada are found guilty by a fair and independent trial before demonizing them. If they would really have been the only people to get advantage out of the killings, then now are also some people who would have serious profite out of the elimination of two possible presidential aspirants and staunch critics of the administration. There is still the rule that anyone is innocent until proven to be guilty, no matter you like the accused or not.
Remember the countless accusations of FG Mike Arroyo. Never there has been any investigation, his denial was enough to block anything, even if being innocent, he easily could have said “investigate, I face the music because I have nothing to hide”. How you treat FG now, as innocent based only on his denials or as guilty, just based on unproven accusations?
TALIBA
Where else could it be? These monsters inherited their vile ways from their predecessors. They think that they could get away with anything. As what they had been used to do during the Marcos dictatorship.
De los Reyes
LOOK WHO’S TALKING!
Sen. Ping Lacson says Mancao’s revelations never bothered him. They’re all the handiwork of Malacanang, a demolition job. Nothing to be afraid because he’s telling the truth, he adds. Still sleeps like a baby, 7-8 hours every night, he says. Okay I believe you, senator, but tell me, how come your Vicky Belo structured, clean and smooth face is in such a mess now? You were on TV last night and your face is full of deep lines and your cheeks uneven and have what looks like bumpy rough surface. The boyish look is gone! From endless worries maybe? I think you need another face-lift job, senator.
Remember what Doc Vicky suggests. If you want to look like Boy Abunda go see Doc Calayan.
Mahmoud Farsi
Paano kayang masasabi ni Erap na “I’m not a violent man”, eh, nung siya ang president palagi niyang sinasabi na “sa kangkungan na lang kayo pupulutin”. Ano kaya ibig sabihin nito? Kung hindi siya si bigote bakit ngayon gusto na niyang ipaalis ang kanyang bigote? Di kaya guilty ang conscience niya? At, si Lacson ganun na lang ang pagtanggi niya. Bakit, guilty ba siya? Hirap sa mga Pinoy eh mga tarantado at mga artista ang karamihang pinipili niyong mamuno. Pulutin na lang kayo sa kangkungan.
Small Voice
Ashame on you the primary suspects of the twin murders of Dacer-Corbito. The statement of Mancao is accurate up to the very details.
Describing how the gruesome murders of the two innocent men were murdered because of Money, Greed and Power.
And still can deny infront of people that they are innocent. Can they still slept at night?
Mr Mancao and Mr Dumlao Truth will set you free. Please helped solved this 8th murder case so that JUSTICE will be given to the victims of the Heinous crimes.
Don’t cover up the crime by telling people that you will be tortured when you arrive in the Phillipines. It is not true. Be more afraid of your soul be put to Gehenna because of not telling the TRUTH.
It is high time that those responsibles of the crimes be prosecuted and give justice to the victims.
Filipino people be selective in coming 2010 Presidentials election.
Be wise and smart enough to decide a leader who can served the Filipino people through Hard Work, Can lead the Filipino People, Dedication, Honesty, Transparent and God Fearing Man.
Mabuhay ang Filipino.
Mark Brandenburg
Lacson states that he believes he knows who killed the people he is being accused of ordering killed but he isn’t going to name the person?
He is a senator that has information about a murder and is withholding the information?
Why would anyone tolerate such behavior?
=======
Lacson said the mastermind of the killing could be someone he knew. “But my suspicion is my own; it is unofficial, and I will not tell his identity,” he said.
“I made a personal investigation and I believe he is the one [responsible for the killing], but I will keep my mouth shut.”
Tokwa
I dont even understand who elected these two shady characters and became President and Senator of the republic. The stupid Philippine media, for the most part, should be blamed. They made super heroes out of these two crooks and the politically ignorant “masa” happily support the stupidity and help catapult them to their political glory. Erap was convicted for plunder, was pardoned, and now back in business to run for the highest seat in the land once again. I’m almost convinced now that the majority of the Filipinos are freakin stupid. Does that answer the question why our country can’t move forward?
Senator W. Revillame
Lacson will always enjoy the luxury of blaming Malacanang for all his troubles. Trust me, “pag kinagat ng aso ni Lacson yung kapitbahay nila, sigurado kasalanan ng Malacanang.”
Boy Makabayan
bakit ba nadamay ang pangalan ni lacson dyan sa kaso ng kuratong baleleng at dacer-corbito double murder case? walang kinalaman si lacson dyan….ang dapat pagbintangan dyan as si mickey mouse at ang kasabwat na si spiderman. siguro malacanang na naman ang may kagagawan dyan.
DOM
I pray and hope that too many cooks wont come up with a salad.
paranoyd
Poor lacson, trying hard to deflect attention from his implication in the Dacer and Corbito case by making up stories about exposee’s in the arroyo govt. The filipino peolple are smart enough not to fall for this one. Lacson will go down with that stupid former pres.
Bebs Libre
Anne, count the two of us. Moreover, it makes me sadder, still, to realize that we, the Filipino citizens of today - totally deserve these monsters that we have elected into office - and thus, the government that we have. I shudder at the thought that perhaps we, as a people, are somehow fatally flawed and beyond redemption. Our body politic is corrupted and has brought forth the likes of Lacson, Erap, Jinggoy, Trillanes, Honasan, Jalosjos, - and so many more that the list is endless.
De los Reyes
LACSON ACCUSED OF MURDER … AGAIN?
How often has one got to be accused of a crime particularly of murder? Lacson seems to have become legendary when it comes to crime, legendary in the sense that he seems to be able to get away with it. If what is said about him is to be elieved, he appears to have a knack for putting a period on anyone whose life he takes fancy of ever since he became the all too powerful PNP chief. I wonder if he was trained in the Academy for that. Why do I ask? His ‘71 class has produced all kinds of weirdos from coup plotters to absconders to killers and all of them ended in failure.
Sen. Ping Lacson has been accused of murder from the alleged disposal of two women reportedly thrown out of a helicopter to gruesome massacre of dozen handcuffed Kuratong Baleleng kidnap members. Take no prisoners must be Lacson’s battle cry, but don’t forget the loot said to be millions of pesos and US dollars of ransom money. The kidnappers were shot to death one early morn above the flyover near Tandang Sora, QC and the ransom never to be found again.
Just as Lacson’s men in the PAOCTF were involved in that wholesale murder, now comes the twin murder of Dacer-Corbito and his trusted men in the PAOCTF playing the major role. In defense, Lacson claims innocence and that the charge is politically motivated, but who cares if it is politically motivated. Is there a scandal in this country not politically motivated? The issue is that two innocent persons where murdered and must be given justice. No amount of efforts to digress and muddle the issue with counter charges of so-called bigger expose can change that.
It amazes me no end that Lacson who despite his intelligence and seemingly politically correct attitude and uprightness is constantly hounded by a dark past that makes people think a criminal personality is a twin brother. It makes me wonder if that personality is part of his DNA.
wonderwoman
So many lap-dogs in our government agencies; the likes of Merciditas Gutierrez of DoJ, the likes of Raul Gonzales of DoJ, the Military Generals who sacrifice their moral and principles just to be acceptable to a President The Bureau of Customs who play blind eyes to the rampant smuggling just to appease the F.G., the likes of Romulo Neri who will protect the President at all cause whether it is immoral or not. The likes of Lito Atienza and formaer DENR Mike Defensor who tried to suppress the revelation of Jun Lozada in the Senate Investigation. Many lap-dogs in our government compromises the whole country as a whole. There is also the head of COA who, knowing that there are billions and billions of unliquidated expenses never press the alarm bell to prevent more abuses.
What do you expect this country to function well on it governance if we have so many presidential appointies who are lap-dogs and subservient to a dubious president?
victor manalac
that’s because they are innocent until proven guilty. i have strong inclinations to believe they had corbito and dacer killed. but i based this merely on what i read in the newspapers. but when opponents such the likes of beroya (obvious past enemy who himself was convicted for kidnapping) and political enemies continue to fuel the accussations then i begin to doubt what i read. what i can only pray for now is the truth - as far as human justice can reach. some of us have learned to accept as truth that GMA, her husband, and the other officials accussed in the botched NBN “tongpats” crimes were innocent simply because there was not enough evidence to prove that what Lozada said was true. in such situiations we can only therefore bank on the fact that they too will die and will face judgement and face fiercer and longer terms of punishment. meanwhile, they (if guilty indeed) escape human justice. and so the same too for lacson, erap, along with their alleged henchmen.
and whether or not ping’s presidential bid is now dead it also doesn’t matter to me because i plan to vote for a new non-traditional candidate, whoever he will be.
sonnyboy
I would like to ask everyone about the fund raising activity of kaya natin for the election fund of Ed panlilio for president, who will handle this funds? what if he does’nt run and where will the money go? I ask you to be careful coz it involves a lot of money and were talking in dollars, it might be another scam so pls. be careful in your decisions, this is just a warningcoz Filipinos are prone to scam.
Pogito
My Dear Anne, asked not who made those monsters. You will not like the answer.
But if you insist, they’re the same ones who made the Queen of the damned -GMArroyo.
If you wanted to ask further, we did made them - You and I… ANd the millions of filipinos who let monsters such as ERAP and GMA roam unchecked. WE tolerate them, and they’ll unleash hell on us.
Which they did!
The truth is ugly like the one that currentlu stares us in the face - a real life monster like GMArroyo.
vsandiq
that makes the two of us
pagsamahin ang mga luha na didilig sa tuyot na mga damdaming di na makaramdam ng pagaalala sa sinapit at sasapitin pa ng ating bayang balot sa kahayukan ng mga hindi dayuhan. Oo, hindi dayuhan kundi kapwa dugo’t laman, kalahi mandin ng mga bayaning noo’y nagbuwis ng hinagpis, namatay para sa bayan pero ngayon ay bumabangon sa tindi ng giyagis sa pasakit at dalit, o di kaya’y galit sa kanilang mga anak na nagbabalatkayong liwanag sa karimlan - mga mapanlinlang! hibang sa kapangyarihan, sinaniban ng kung anong espirito ng digmaan at kamatayan.
demonyo!
De los Reyes
“IF GOVERNMENT REALLY WANTS JUSTICE, THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE IT A LONG TIME AGO … SO IF THAT IS NOT PERSECUTION, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS,” Lacson told reporters here.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090329-196871/Lacson-resigned-to-joining-party-for-2010-bid
Lacson conveniently forgets that as far back as 2001 Glen Dumlao had been arrested and charged together with a dozen other PAOCTF men of Lacson including Michael Aquino and Cezar Mancao. Dumlao turned state witness, recanted then went missing and surfaced in the US together with Aquino and Mancao. Lacson know this and in fact had visited them during his trips to the US.
If Lacson’s statement is not a lie, I don’t know what is. The more Lacson lies or twists facts the more he loses his credibility.
cosme
family of dacer has already indicated it was sen. lacson who killed their father. the worst even came from the victim’s statement to the family when he was still alive. this is the best circumstantial evidence that a murder has been commited and in any cases. aside from col. mancao’s testimony, a lie detector test be perform by FBI to sen. lacson and ex president estrada to seal this case considering the dacer family are US Citizens. hope the court will reconsider and break the barrier because it is inadmissable from legal point of view.
vince
Dear Bebs libre,
Don´t be sad; we are, as a race, not fatally flawed. These people, Lacson, Estrada and others who condone and abet them for what they do, are succubi, but there are only a few of them. The rest of us are true, good and loving Filipino people.
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