Azurin said these personalities, which include military and police officials and politicians, were criticized by Lapid in his radio program.
“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. So eto mga tinitingnan natin na mga probable na mga baka may kinalaman sa pagkamatay ni Percy,” Azurin said in a press conference.
(Since 2021, Ka Percy has 600 postings on various issues and out of the 600 plus discussed in his program, there are almost 160 personalities, more or less different personalities. So here are the things we are looking at that are likely to be related to Percy’s death.)
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered the preventive suspension of Bantag following the death of Jun Villamor, who was identified by self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial as the person who called them and ordered Lapid’s execution.
Villamor died on October 18, hours after Escorial was presented by the PNP publicly.
In a medico legal examination conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation, it showed that Villamor had suffered from heart hemorrhage.
Azurin said they are not discounting the possibility that there was foul play in Villamor’s death.
“Ah most probably (there is foul play) kasi nga sabi ko nga (because as I’ve said) it’s too much of [a coincidence]. It’s an unfortunate incident but the timing is questionable,” he said.
Azurin also noted that since the earlier part of the investigation, the Bucor “denied” to provide necessary information about the alleged “middleman.”
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said that police inquired to the Bucor about a detainee Crisanto Villamor.
The Bucor gave a certification that it does not have a detainee under the said name but it turned out that he was known as Jun Villamor.
“Nung una kasi may denial eh. Of course, wala naman talaga ‘yung Crisanto but sabi ko nga, the appropriate thing na dapat nangyari doon since may early warning naman na ginawa ‘yung pulis is i-segregate mo lahat ng family name na ganun so that at least man lang ay masabi natin na nakitaan natin sila ng cooperation. Hindi yung totally na dineny nila,” said Azurin.
(At first, there was denial. Of course, Crisanto is not really there, but as I said, the appropriate thing that should have happened there since the police gave an early warning is to segregate all the family names so that at least we have seen them cooperate.)
But the top cop said the case is not yet considered solved despite the earlier declaration of the chief of the Southern Police District, as the brains behind the killing has not yet been identified.
Police said another witness, Villamor’s cousin who also took part in the crime, is under tight security.
“May mga nakukuha na mga information sa kanya na nirereveal but as of this time, sabi ko nga hindi natin puwede blow by blow natin sasabihin because baka it might compromise ulit ‘yung ongoing investigation natin,” said Azurin.
(Some information was obtained from him, but as of this time, I said we cannot reveal it blow by blow because it might compromise our ongoing investigation again.)
Lapid was shot dead while on his way home on the evening of October 3, 2022. (SunStar Philippines)