Percy case: 8th person of interest in NBI custody
The suspension of Bantag came after the death of middleman Jun Villamor, who supposedly relayed the kill order to self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial.
Daily TribuneThe suspension of Bantag came after the death of middleman Jun Villamor, who supposedly relayed the kill order to self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial.
Another person of interest is now in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation as Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he will announce major developments in the Percy Lapid slay case Monday.
He expressed confidence that the mastermind in the killing may be known before the end of next week so that proper cases can be filed.
The Department of Justice yesterday disclosed that an inmate from the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines detention facility was transferred to NBI custody Friday midnight, making him the 8th person of interest in the celebrated case.
Remulla said both the Philippine National Police and NBI started their joint investigation in the case, making him confident that the mystery-shrouded case of the death of middleman Jun Villamor will have a resolution.
"I think we have made a lot of progress. I'm guiding it through to make sure that it would get resolved," Remulla said.
At present, Remulla said that four of the persons of interest in the said slaying are now under the custody of the government and have already executed their formal statements.
Hesaid they opted to announce new developments on Monday because it's the best time to work over the weekend to give more details on the case "because things are moving very fast."
But the justice chief refused to comment on whether any of the persons of interest have implicated suspended Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag.
He refused to comment on the matter because they might be able to get a few more information come Monday.
On orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself, Remulla issued an order suspending Bantag preventively for 90-days without pay.
The suspension of Bantag came after the death of middleman Jun Villamor, who supposedly relayed the kill order to self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial.
He was replaced in an officer-in-charge capacity by former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gregorio Catapang Jr.
Bantag's lament
On the other hand, Bantag lamented the fact that he was not given due process when he was unceremoniously suspended.
He also complained about his disarming along with his men by Catapang which include their service vehicles.
Bantag said that the way things are unfolding he feels that he won't be back at the helm of BuCor anymore.
Meanwhile, Department of Justice Assistant Secretary Atty. Mico Clavano yesterday said that Dr. Raquel Fortun, whom the DoJ asked to conduct a second autopsy of Villamor asked for a one day extension to wrap up her autopsy report.
"Dr. Fortun is asking for one more day to complete her autopsy report," said Clavano in a Viber message to reporters yesterday.
Last 3 October at around 8:30 p.m. Lapid, a broadcaster whose real name is Percival Mabasa, was shot dead by a then still unknown gunman.
Fifteen days later (18 October), Joel Escorial, later confessed to the crime, claiming that he and three others were paid P550,000 for the hit on Lapid.
Escorial was presented by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos in a press conference wherein he named Crisanto Villamor Jr., an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison, as the alleged middleman who ordered to kill Lapid.
A few hours after Escorial named him as the middleman in the slaying Villamor died at the NBP hospital.
Villamor's death inside the NBP caused the 90-day preventive suspension of Bantag as per the order of President Ferdinand Marcos and implemented by Remulla.
The killing took another twist when the sister of Villamor, alias Marisa, sought the assistance of Senator Raffy Tulfo. She was turned over to the DoJ which placed her under the government's Witness Protection Program and turned over to the NBI for custody.
Investigators were informed by Marisa that her brother messaged her hours before he died and expressed fear for his life.
Villamor told her of three NBP detainees involved in the Percy Lapid killing with request that if he dies, she should divulge the information.
Murder complaint has been filed by the PNP against Escorial and the three accomplices he named as brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, and a third person identified only as "Orly" or "Orlando."
On 4 November, the DoJ will resume the preliminary investigation of the PNP's complaint.