Dacer-Corbito murders witness slain in Cavite | ABS-CBN News Online Beta
Dacer-Corbito murders witness slain in Cavite
A vital witness in the murder of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer set to appear before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday was gunned down inside his rented house in Cavite province early Wednesday.
DOJ Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor said Jimmy Lopez was slain inside his rented house shortly after midnight. He said the "vital witness" in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case died of multiple gunshot wounds in the body.
Blancaflor said the victim's neighbors saw the gunmen escape on board motorcycles.
He said the DOJ, in coordination with police, will deeply look into the killing of the witness. He said the killing could have been connected to the reopening of the Dacer-Corbito case.
"The killing of Jimmy is a strong indication that the enemy is going to do everything to put a stop to the reopening of the case," the DOJ official said.
Blancaflor said Lopez, along with his brother, William and another resident of Cavite, Alex Diloy, is the DOJ's witness in the ongoing court trial in the double murder case.
"These witnesses are in fact due to appear tomorrow (Thursday) before the panel of DOJ prosecutors investigating the complaint of the Dacer sisters against Senator Panfilo Lacson to affirm their sworn statements about the incident," he said.
The DOJ had said that former police officer Cezar Mancao have included the names of Lacson and former president Joseph Estrada in his February 2009 affidavit, regarding their alleged involvement in the murders.
The two officials had denied the allegations