Poe on death of ‘middleman’ in Lapid slay case: Tragic blow to justice system
SENATE / Percy Lapid’s facebok page
MANILA, Philippines — The death of the alleged middleman in the killing of journalist Percival Mabasa, popularly known as Percy Lapid, will “further hinder the due process.”
Senator Grace Poe made the remark on Friday, noting that the middleman’s demise “strikes a tragic blow to our justice system.”
“We have lost a vital link in solving the murder. It’s a shame that the family and friends of the victim will deal with a drawn-out investigation.
“This death will further hinder the due process,” she said in a statement.
Poe urged the Bureau of Corrections to look into the death of the middleman immediately and to find evidence that could identify the mastermind of the killings.
“These unsolved murders will only add to the grim statistics on media killings and further embolden wrongdoers,” she said.
The senator, however, remains hopeful that justice will prevail and answers will soon surface.
“We will continue watching and holding authorities accountable for the sake of public order and safety,” said Poe.
The middleman, identified as Crisanto Palana Villamor, was reported “dead on arrival” at the New Bilibid Prison hospital.
Villamor’s death came after self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial revealed that he killed Lapid based on an order from someone inside the Bilibid.
On October 3, Lapid was gunned down while driving his car near the gate of a Las Piñas City subdivision.
