Witness protection for 2 siblings of 1st middleman in Percy Lapid killing — Remulla

Percival Mabasa —video grab from fb page of Percy Lapid Fire

MANILA, Philippines — Two siblings of the first middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa are now in the Witness Protection Program, one of whom received the dying declaration message from their brother while incarcerated inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said.

The first middleman, Cristito Villamor Palaña, who was previously named Jun Globa Villamor, and Crisanto Palaña Villamor was identified by confessed gunman Joel Escorial as the one who paid P550,000 to kill Lapid.

“Her testimony is very important because she was a recipient of a text message which is a form of a dying declaration,” Remulla said.

“He was conscious that he was in danger at the time he texted [his sister] around two hours before he was declared dead. This is very, very important,” Remulla said.

Under the Rules on Evidence, a dying declaration made under the consciousness of impending death may be received in case his death is the subject of inquiry.

Villamor’s sister, the so-called “Marisa,” surfaced on Monday and told authorities messages that her brother supposedly sent to her before his death on October 18, hours after Escorial revealed that someone from the NBP gave him the kill order.

In the message, Villamor said the killing of Lapid was ordered by the leaders of “Sputnik,” “Happy Go Lucky” and “Batang City Jail” gangs on the instruction of the “office,” referring to the NBP.

READ: ‘Middleman’ revealed to sister those behind Percy Lapid murder – report

Aside from Marissa, Remulla said they also placed another sibling of Villamor under the Witness Protection Program.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it found no signs of physical injuries on the body of Villamor. However, a second autopsy was conducted by forensic expert Raquel Fortun.

/MUF/abc