“The toxicology report came back, mukha talagang walang lason o gamot na ibinigay sa namatay but I’m still not satisfied that it was natural causes… because there are ways to kill a person that would not show up in the medico-legal so tuloy-tuloy pa ang imbestigasyon,” Marcos said in an interview with reporters.
Amid criticisms that he is mum on the cases, Marcos said he is monitoring its development and closely coordinating with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr.
Marcos said his instruction was for police and other investigating agencies to look into the case deeply and identify the brains behind Lapid’s killing.
“But more importantly is to really trace saan nanggaling ito? Who gave the order? Sino nagbigay doon sa preso na orderin ang shooter na gawin ito at bakit? That is what we are working on now,” he said.
Lapid was shot dead on the evening of October 3 while on his way home in Las Piñas City.
On October 17, Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman surrendered to the police.
Abalos announced Escorial’s surrender during a press briefing on October 18.
Escorial identified three of his cohorts, namely, Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan and a certain Orly.
He also said that the kill order against Lapid came from someone inside the NBP.
On October 20, Remulla announced that alleged middleman Jun Villamor, whom Escorial was referring to, died at the NBP hours after Escorial went public on October 18.
He was positively identified by Escorial through photos.
Marcos ordered the preventive suspension of Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) director Geral Bantag amid the probe into the death of Villamor.
Based on the result of the autopsy examination on Villamor’s body conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), he died due to hemorrhage in the heart.
The NBI said there was also “no apparent signs of external physical injury on the body” that can indicate foul play.
Earlier, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said they are still not discounting the possibility that there is foul play in Villamor’s death.
He said Bantag is also among the 160 persons of interest in the killing, noting that he was one of the personalities criticized by Lapid in his radio program.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun performed a second autopsy on Villamor’s body.
From Leyte, Villamor’s sister Marisa (not her real name) flew to Manila and asked for the help of several personalities, including Senator Raffy Tulfo.
DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV said that Marisa revealed that she was able to talk to Villamor through a messaging application hours before he died.
She said Villamor named several individuals who were involved in Lapid’s killing.
She also said that Escorial and Villamor knew each other as they grew up together in one village in Leyte.
Villamor’s sister was placed under the Witness Protection Program of the DOJ due to the threats she was receiving following his brother’s death.
In a separate interview on Wednesday, Remulla said at least six individuals linked to the Lapid slay case are now under the custody of the PNP and NBI.
These individuals include those named by Villamor in his message to Marisa and his cousin Jose and Christopher Bacoto, who also allegedly served as middlemen. (SunStar Philippines)