PNP: 160 persons of interest in probe into killing of Percy Lapid
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has identified at least 160 persons of interest in the killing of radioman Percy Mabasa, among whom is Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag.
Speaking to reporters at a press briefing in Camp Crame, Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, PNP chief said that the 160 are largely personalities whom Mabasa, better known by his stage name Percy Lapid, went after in his radio show Lapid Fire.
Persons of interest are not suspects but are involved in a criminal investigation. The term refers to someone police are "interested" in for information that might help theit investiogation.
"They're politicians, military and police officers. We’re currently looking at their probable link to the death of Percy," Azurin said in mixed Filipino and English. Mabasa in his radio show delivered commentary and criticisms of supposed government abuses and irregularities.
One other person of interest is a cousin of Crisanto Villamor, the supposed middleman who connected the mastermind and the hitman, who died in the New Bilibid Prison a day after self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial linked him to the crime.
"In the same manner, the inmates who were with Cristito Villamor in the detention cell are also being considered in the case since they most probably know something as well," Azurin said.
The PNP chief added that foul play is yet to be ruled out in the death of Villamor. Meanwhile, the latter's cousin has already shared a number of "revelations" with investigators.
"It's an unfortunate incident, but the timing is questionable," he said in Filipino. "We were almost there, right? We have the triggerman, we have the pieces of evidence and we were almost there to talk to the middleman and this happened. I don’t know if that was accidental because he was the person we were looking for, we wanted to talk to."
PNP chief: Case not solved yet
Azurin also contradicted the Southern Police District's earlier claim that the case was now considered solved, pointing out that there were still unanswered questions despite the confession of Escorial.
"We can't say it's solved yet, although we have filed the case already initially versus Escorial, but we have yet to determine where the order came from and how it could have come from Bilibid," he said. "I personally don't believe it should stop at the level of Escorial."
According to the PNP manual, a case is considered "solved and closed" when the following elements concur:
- the offender has been identified;
- there is sufficient evidence to charge him;
- the offender has been taken into custody;
- and the offender has been charged before the prosecutor's office or court of appropriate jurisdiction
As it stands, Escorial’s alleged accomplices are still at large, and the mastermind of Lapid's killing has yet to be identified. — Franco Luna
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