Lacson to ‘set record straight’ on Dacer case

After getting flak from his former boss, Sen. Panfilo Lacson is set to disclose on Monday all he knows not only about the Dacer-Corbito murder case but also about former President Joseph “Erap" Estrada. Lacson assured Estrada that the privilege speech will not contain anything personal, but will try to “set the record straight" about Estrada’s recent tirades against him. “Of course lahat na tao may bad and good side. Pero it’s about time malaman din ng tao kung sino talaga si Joseph Ejercito Estrada. Hindi masasabi na may bahid-pulitika ang sasabihin ko dahil ‘di na ako tatakbo – nag-withdraw na ako (I cannot be accused of politicking because I already withdrew from the presidential race. I just want to inform the public about Joseph Estrada - the public official)," he had said in interviews leading to Monday's privilege speech. He also indicated that his speech may include several chapters, similar to the three-part privilege speech he delivered on the Jose Pidal accounts in 2003, a multi-million account anomaly that dragged the name of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. Earlier, Lacson said he would also include in his privilege speech everything he knows about the disappearance of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in 2000. Both Lacson and Estrada have been linked to the case, and have repeatedly denied their involvement in it. “It’s about time siguro na tumayo uli ako, i-defend ang aking dignidad. In defense of my honor and my dignity dapat siguro tumayo ako sa Senado para ilalahad ang aking depensa pati ang ibang related na issue (It’s about time I rise again to defend my honor and dignity, not only about the Dacer-Corbito case but on other related issues)," he said. Lacson branded as unfair Estrada’s accusation that he caused disunity in the opposition in 2004 when he refused to give in to Fernando Poe Jr. as the opposition presidential bet. Estrada had rebuffed Lacson’s claim that the former president should not just ask other opposition presidential bets to back out in favor of Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III, but should himself show the way by backing out of the presidential race as well. On the other hand, Lacson brushed aside an “advice" from Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile na mag “hinay-hinay" (to go easy). “When you’re telling the truth, there’s no such thing as maghinay-hinay. Kung hanap natin katotohanan dapat all-out tayo (When you are telling the truth, there’s no such thing as maghinay-hinay. If we are after the truth we must always go all out)," he said. - GMANews.TV