Autopsy: Percy murder middleman choked with plastic bag
Tests showed Villamor, who picked the assassins to finish off the popular broadcaster, died of asphyxia or suffocation likely using a plastic bag.
Daily TribuneTests showed Villamor, who picked the assassins to finish off the popular broadcaster, died of asphyxia or suffocation likely using a plastic bag.
Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the "Percy Lapid" slaying, died of suffocation and not by a natural cause based on the results of a second autopsy that forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun conducted.
Fortun's findings entirely contradicted the claim of National Bilibid Prison officials ruling out foul play in the death of the suspect.
The middleman, who was identified by Joel Escorial when he surrendered on 18 October, died a few hours after he was named by the confessed gunman,
Fortun's tests showed Villamor, who picked the assassins to finish off the popular broadcaster, died of asphyxia or suffocation likely using a plastic bag.
The new autopsy indicated the remains were found to have a "history of asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation."
She said at a virtual press conference that Villamor's body was found to have "pulmonary congestion, edema and hemorrhages."
Fortun said the autopsy findings were "consistent with the reported asphyxia."
The forensic expert added that there is information that the deceased expressed fear for his life shortly before his death.
A strong case of homicide
"Based on available information regarding the circumstances surrounding the death, the manner is homicide," Fortun said.
Also, during the briefing, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla said he requested Fortun to conduct a new autopsy on Villamor's body upon the request of Lapid's son and the slain journalist's brother Roy Mabasa for an independent medico-legal examination.
Lapid, the host of an online broadcast program and columnist for a tabloid, was shot dead in Las Piñas City on 3 October.
On 18 October, confessed gunman Joel Escorial was presented to the media after surrendering to Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr.
Escorial identified several persons involved in the plot to kill Lapid including two middlemen, identified as Villamor and Christopher Bacoto, who are detained at the NBP and a jail facility under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, respectively.
The death of Villamor inside the NBP was confirmed by Remulla on 20 October.
The Department of Justice investigated the possibility that Villamor was murdered.
"We are awaiting the report of the AMLC, phone chat, and others, but this case is almost over it is the matter of filing the case and finally being able to identify the masterminds," Remulla said.
The justice chief said the DoJ is focusing on two persons of interest but he refused to identify them.
"We are drawing out two persons of interest now, we cannot identify now we will complete the narrative based on the testimony of different persons," Remulla said.
He explained that the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police will file the complaint before the fiscal's office and they will be the ones who will identify the mastermind.
Inmates get shabu
The pathologist added her examination showed traces of methamphetamine or shabu in Villamor's urine.
Remulla said that the presence of methamphetamine in the deceased inmate's urine was "a very important finding that was not present in the first report."
"Rumors that there is indeed shabu inside Bilibid, I think, is confirmed by the fact that the person who died had shabu or methamphetamine in the system," Remulla said.
Remulla said he plans a second laboratory examination of the urine from Villamor to see if other chemicals or substances can be found.