(File photo)
MANILA – A sister of the late Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the slaying of broadcaster Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa, may give investigators leads on the circumstances surrounding the inmate's death.
The information will be relevant but would be subject to verification, Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Mico Clavano said Tuesday.
The sister has been admitted to the Witness Protection Program.
Clavano told reporters that Villamor's sister claimed her brother gave her the names of persons threatening his safety during their exchange of messages via Facebook Messenger hours before his death.
"That’s yet to be seen," he said on the truthfulness of the sister's statements. "On its face, syempre relevant siya (it is relevant) pero we have to verify that even further, para makita talaga natin kung totoo ‘yung sinasabi niya, kung credible talaga (to see if she is telling the truth, if she is really credible)."
Villamor has been detained at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) since 2019 for murder, frustrated murder, and violation of an election gun ban.
He died inside the prison hospital on October 18, allegedly of natural causes, on the same day self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial was presented to the media and pointed to him as one of the middlemen in the killing of Mabasa.
Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag has been placed on preventive suspension to allow for a fair and impartial investigation of Villamor’s death.
He is also considered a person of interest as he is among those criticized by Mabasa in his radio program.
The Mabasa family plans to sue Bantag for reckless imprudence as Villamor’s illegal use of a mobile phone allowed him to arrange the slay.
Senator Raffy Tulfo, whom “Ate” (Villamor’s sister) first approached for help, said there are three names of possible suspects in the inmate’s death.
Villamor’s body will be flown to Leyte only after the second autopsy, Tulfo told reporters on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontioveros said the case cannot be considered closed yet as the mastermind remains at large.
She asked for protection for the Mabasa family after some of its members reportedly received death threats.
“Nangangamba ang buong pamilya ni Percy. Ang mga anak ni Percy ay pinadalhan ng mga pagbabanta sa Facebook o sa personal nilang mga cellphone number. May isang nakatanggap pa ng text message na sinabing siya na ang susunod (Percy’s family members are anxious. His children have received threats on Facebook or through their personal cellphone numbers. One of them received a text message saying he/she would be next),” Hontiveros said in a statement.
Strong lead seen
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it would closely coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to immediately resolve Mabasa's killing.
"I understand that she (Villamor’s sister) surrendered the evidence to the NBI so we really need to put our acts together, between the PNP and the NBI, to strengthen the cases against those who have involvement in the killing of Percy Mabasa," PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said in a television interview Tuesday.
Azurin also said the admission of the sister of the late Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of Mabasa, as a government witness is a "very good development."
"Because at least now, the family of Villamor is coming out in the open to help solve this case," he added.
According to Villamor's sister, her brother told her that there were at least three "commanders" inside the NBP who ordered the hit job on Mabasa.
She said that a few hours before her brother died, he sent a text message giving her the go signal to reveal the information he divulged to her, including the names of the three NBP commanders.
During that time, Villamor reportedly felt uneasy after self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial surrendered to the police and revealed what he knows about the killing.
Azurin said the text messages sent to the sister of Villamor are vital in the case build-up and in the continuous investigation to identify the mastermind behind Mabasa's killing.
"We will also ask that the cellphone (of Villamor's sister) be turned over to us as part of the evidence so that we could conduct a forensic examination and form part of the evidence that will lead us to the mastermind," he said.
Azurin, however, said proper coordination would be made, especially because the DOJ, through the NBI, is conducting a parallel investigation on the case. (with Lloyd Caliwan/PNA)
