The murder of broadcaster Percy Mabasa, better known as "Percy Lapid," took a new twist when the sister of the late inmate Crisanto Villamor Jr., the alleged middleman, surfaced Monday claiming she had information that would help the ongoing investigation.

The new witness, aka "Marissa," sought the help of brothers Raffy and Erwin Tulfo, saying she fears for her life.

Raffy is a newly-elected senator while Erwin is the Department of Social Welfare and Development secretary.

According to a TV Patrol report, "Marissa" claimed to have spoken with his brother before he died under mysterious circumstances inside his detention cell at the New Bilibid Prison on 18 October.

Secretary Erwin Tulfo accompanied alias "Marissa" to the Department of Justice which immediately placed her under the Witness Protection Program.

Timing of inmate's death questioned

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief P/Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., said he doubts the circumstances of the death of Villamor Jr. inside the New Bilibid Prison.

"It's too much of a coincidence. It's an unfortunate incident but the timing is questionable," Azurin told reporters during the press briefing held at Camp Crame Monday.

The police chief said Villamor could have provided vital information that could lead to the mastermind of the broadcaster's murder on 3 October in Las Piñas City.

He expressed doubts about the sudden death of the middleman due to "bangungot" or nightmare.

"Sabi ko nga kasi nung una yung report na lumalabas parang nabangungot di ba," Azurin said. "Sabi ko, paano ka mababangungot ng tanghaling tapat hindi ba? Because when I was a captain, I had been entering the NBP at nakita ko kung ano yung situation doon eh na hindi ka puwedeng makakatulog ng tanghali kasi nga napakasikip. Kaya ako is hindi ko alam kung paano nakatulog kasi yun ang unang lumabas na report eh."

Joel Escorial, the confessed gunman, pointed to Villamor as the one who contacted him to kill Lapid during a press conference on 18 October, a day after his surrender.

Hours after Escorial's revelation, Villamor died inside his detention cell at the NBP, raising suspicions of possible foul play.

"We were almost there, isn't it? We have the triggerman, we have the pieces of evidence and we were almost there to talk to the middleman and this happened," he said.

"I don't know if that was accidental because he was the person we were looking for, we wanted to talk to," he stressed.

Azurin, however, said that they will wait for the investigation being conducted by the DoJ.

He could not help but hit NBP for the lack of sense of urgency on the case.

"Due to the exigency and urgency of the situation, we immediately coordinated with the NBP and they said there was no inmate of that specific name," Azurin said.

"What they should have done is to segregate and secure all the inmates with Villamor surnames. But what happened was that we were not furnished with the right information," he added.

Azurin said the 160 persons of interest are those who were on the receiving end of Lapid's criticisms.

"I was briefed na since 2021 there are 600 na mga postings si Ka Percy na mga iba ibang issue and out of the 600 plus na mga tinalakay sa programa niya, there are almost 160 personalities more or less na different personalities, mga pulitiko, mga military, mga pulis, halo halo. So eto mga tinitingnan natin na mga probable na mga baka may kinalaman sa pagkamatay ni Percy," he said.

Azurin confirmed that relieved Bureau of Corrections director general Gerald Bantag was among those criticized by Lapid, especially on the issue of the series of deaths of inmates.

"But we have to really establish the motive that led to the killing of Percy Lapid," Azurin said.

He said they are doing it through the statements of Escorial and other personalities who knew about the planning and execution of the assassination of Lapid.

Charges eyed vs Bantag

Bantag is among 160 persons of interest, according to Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla.

"Definitely, he is a person of interest at least for the reckless imprudence that is already being sought by the Mabasa family," Remulla said. "That is the option of the family. It is within their legal options."

Lawyer Berteni Causing, who represents the Mabasa family, said they are studying the filing of criminal and administrative charges against Bantag.

"If there is no imprudence, then there would be no cell phone inside the prison," Causing explained.

The lawyer, who was present during the preliminary hearing, rejected the claims of police investigators that the sensational Lapid murder case is solved.

He said that until they get to the bottom of it, the mastermind, there is no such thing as case closed.

Remulla supported Causing's position.

"We cannot close the case until we know the details and the proper testimonies are in place. We just want the evidence to be secured," the justice chief said.

He said the investigation is still going on and all possible suspects are being considered, and all angles are being considered as they have to be thorough with it.

Remulla said he is set to meet with the National Bureau of Investigation to give more documents and request to look into the matter.

He said he has asked independent forensic expert Dr. Raquel Fortun to examine the remains of Jun Globa Villamor.

"Because that is the agreement that I had with Roy Mabasa (Lapid's brother who is also a journalist) who I spoke with yesterday together with the son of Percy Lapid," Remulla said.

Mabasa, also a journalist, failed to attend the preliminary hearing due to numerous death threats he and their families have been receiving.

Following Lapid's murder, Bantag was placed under a 90-day preventive suspension without pay on orders of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. "to preclude the possibility of exerting undue influence or pressure on the witnesses… or tampering of documentary evidence…."

The justice chief said the investigation is still going on and all possible suspects are being considered, and all angles are being considered as they have to be thorough with it. @tribunephl_alvi