By Joyce Pangco Pa?ares

PANFILO Lacson planned the killing of publicist Salvador Dacer eight years ago, and one of the suspects arrested had pointed to him as the mastermind, an official said yesterday.

Reynaldo Berroya, general manager of the state-run Metro Rail Transit Authority, said former Senior Supt. Glenn Dumlao had pointed to Lacson as the man who ordered the murder of Dacer, who was killed along with his driver, Emmanuel Corbito, in 2000.

Dacer and Corbito were abducted in broad daylight at the South Superhighway on Nov. 24 of that year, and by gunmen believed to be members of the police force.

Their charred bodies were found four days later in Indang, Cavite.

Dumlao had surrendered to Berroya, then head of the Intelligence Group, before he fled to the United States in 2001.

?When he surrendered to me, Dumlao confessed that it was Lacson who ordered the hit on Dacer,? Berroya said yesterday.

?Dumlao also told me that Lacson ordered that I be assassinated as well.?

Dumlao is to be extradited from the United States along with another suspect, former Senior Supt. Michael Ray Aquino, at the Philippines? request.

Another suspect, Cesar Mancao, is expected to be extradited this month to testify on the case.

Mancao has executed an affidavit implicating high government officials in the case. But he has asked the Justice Department to send NBI agents to fetch and mind him and not to turn him over to the police. NBI Director Nestor Mantaring said yesterday they would secure him.

Dumlao, Aquino and Mancao had worked for Lacson, who was then serving under President Joseph Estrada as head of a police task force against crime. He is now a Senator.

Lacson and Estrada both denied involvement in the case even before Mancao?s affidavit could be made public. Estrada was driven from power in 2001 and convicted of plunder in September 2007, but was pardoned by President Arroyo a few weeks later.

?If I were the judge, that [Mancao?s affidavit] would be sufficient to convict?if not, to at least establish probable cause to file criminal charges,? Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said on Tuesday.

Berroya said Gonzalez had told him that Mancao?s affidavit corroborated Dumlao?s statement that he was also to be eliminated. But he provided no further details.

?[Berroya] told me many things, but basically he said that he was one of the main targets. He could have been assassinated in Pasig,? Gonzalez said yesterday

?I think we?ve opened Pandora?s Box already,? he said.

?Maybe witnesses are coming out now that they are comfortable with the assurance that they will be protected.?

Estrada?s son, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, said his family was not worried about Mancao?s return.

?Our conscience is clear,? he told reporters. ?Let?s just wait and see what he?s going to say.? With Rey E. Requejo and Jing Villamente