Bongbong Marcos doubts ‘middleman’ in Percy Lapid slay died of natural causes
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he is not convinced that the alleged middleman behind the assassination of veteran broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa has died of natural causes.
Marcos said that even though the toxicology report on the death of Cristito Villamor Palaña (previously identified as Crisanto or Jun Villamor) came back negative for foul play, he asked authorities to dig deeper.
“The toxicology report came back. Walang lason o gamot na binigay doon sa namatay. But I’m still not satisfied that it’s natural causes,” he said in a chance interview at the sidelines of the National Information and Communications Technology Summit 2022 at the Manila Hotel.
(There is no poison nor medicine given to the deceased.)
“Sabi ko tingnan ninyo nang mabuti because there are ways to kill a person that do not show up in the medico legal,” the President added.
Article continues after this advertisement(I said examine it very carefully because there are ways to kill a person that do not show up in the medico legal.)
Article continues after this advertisementPalaña was earlier reported to be “dead on arrival” at the NBP hospital at 2:05 p.m. on Oct. 18, just hours after the alleged gunman to Lapid’s killing, Joel Escorial, was presented to the public in a news conference.
The initial autopsy report did not specify the cause of his death while Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag insisted he died of “cardiac arrest.”
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said he suspected foul play might have been involved in the death of the alleged middleman, saying the timing is “questionable.”
