PNP dismisses foul play in Lapid slay suspect's death

The Philippine National Police on Monday dismissed the possible foul play angle in the death of Ricardo Zulueta, one of the accused in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid. 

In a press conference, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Zulueta had been experiencing underlying chest pain before his death. 

“Iyong mismong kapatid po ang nagdala sa hospital at even po 'yung common law wife po ni Mr. Zulueta ang magkakasama po sila doon (It was the brother himself who brought Zulueta to the hospital and even the common law wife of Zulueta was with them),” Fajardo told reporters as he clarified there was no foul play in his death. 

“A night before na dumating so noong nag-complain na parang naninikip na ang dibdib ay dinala agad nila sa ospital, however, binawian din po ng buhay (A night before they arrived, he complained of chest pain. They immediately took him to the hospital, however, he passed away),” he added. 

Fajardo cited a death certificate showing that Zulueta’s cause of death was cerebrovascular disease intracranial hemorrhage, which means there was bleeding on the patient’s brain tissue.

The police authorities earlier reported that 42-year-old Zulueta was rushed to the Bataan Peninsula Medical Center in Dinalupihan town on Friday. He was declared dead at 11 p.m. on that day. 

Zulueta, a former Bureau of Corrections official, was tagged along with former BuCor chief Gerald Bantag over the alleged killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid and Jun Villamor on 3 October and 18 October 2022, respectively.

He and Bantag were charged with two counts of murder in March last year. 

The following month, a Muntinlupa court ordered the arrest of Bantag and Zulueta in connection with the death of Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of Lapid.

On Sunday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to verify the authenticity of a “'circulating death certificate” of Zulueta.

“We are still looking into the veracity of these reports and will update the public as soon as we receive word from the NBI,”  Remulla said.