MANILA — Authorities have secured all the persons mentioned by the sister of Jun Villamor, an alleged middleman in the killing of radio commentator Percy Lapid.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla made this disclosure on Wednesday morning, on the sidelines of an activity at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa.

“Ang mahalaga ho sa sister nung Villamor, lahat ng naituro dun ay custody na po. We’ve secured all those possible persons,” he said when asked for updates on the case.

(What's important about the Villamor sister is we already have in custody all persons she identified.)

Pressed for a number of those in custody, Remulla said there are “at least 6 of them,” including Villamor's sister alias "Marissa," another relative named Jose who is now in police custody, and an alleged second middleman, Christopher Bacoto, who is still with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

The identity of the 3 others in custody is not yet known.

But there are conflicting numbers of those in custody.

While Remulla said 2 to 3 are in police custody and 3 others are with the NBI, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officer-in-charge Director General Gregorio Catapang, Jr. said in a separate interview that they have also secured 3 persons inside the NBP.

What is clear however is that the police are still looking for the Dimaculangan brothers Israel and Edmond, and a certain Orly, who allegedly accompanied self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial in killing Lapid outside his subdivision in Las Piñas on October 3.

Remulla said the mastermind might not be included yet among those in custody.

“Posibleng iba pa. We are looking at all angles. Baka madagdagan pa ng isa mamaya itong in custody. We’re working out everything for the possible angles. I have to be in conference with the NBI about it. I will also speak to the PNP, the investigators of the case. Kakausapin ko rin yung Las Piñas police who are investigating,” he said.

(It's possible that the mastermind is someone else... One more person might be placed in custody later... I will speak later to the Las Piñas police who are investigating.)

But he refused to confirm if Marissa categorically identified the mastermind, based on the messages of her brother before he died on October 18 inside NBP.

“We cannot speculate. I think it’s unfair to speculate. We will….basta aabutin natin kung san man matutumbok yan, tutumbukin natin,” he explained.

(We will go wherever it leads to.)

• NBI autopsy on alleged middleman in Percy Lapid killing — No gunshot wound, no COVID; possible heart problem

MISSING CELLPHONE

• PNP seeks cellphone of alleged middleman's sister for forensic examination

One aspect of the probe is locating the missing cellphone of Villamor, which could confirm the messages he supposedly sent to his sister “Marissa” a few hours before he died.

Marissa’s cellphone is already with the National Bureau of Investigation for validation.

In his messages, Villamor supposedly named commanders of certain Bilibid gangs as behind Lapid’s killing, upon orders allegedly of an office in the NBP.

Catapang said they had tried searching for the cellphone in the area where Villamor lost consciousness but did not find it there.

Remulla is optimistic the cellphone will eventually be found.

The justice chief on Tuesday said Marissa's testimony regarding the alleged killers is important and is exempted from the hearsay rule because it was supposedly based on Villamor's dying declaration.

Meanwhile, to address the perennial problem of inmates getting access to cellphones inside the national penitentiary, Remulla said he advised Catapang to procure K9 units which can “sniff out everything that has to be sniffed out” in Bilibid.

Catapang said they would endeavor to deploy K9 units within a month.

RE-AUTOPSY

Villamor’s body is undergoing re-autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun.

Remulla said Fortun finished the external examination on Tuesday and hopes to finish the internal examination by Wednesday.

“Nagrereport naman sa akin… I am in conversation with Dr. Raquel Fortun. Matagal ko na syang kilala. We’re hoping that everything is worked out properly. If there are doubts to be elicited, let them come out. We are not allowing anything to cover for the importuning of people who may not have the best motives,” he said.

(She is reporting to me... I have known her for a long time.)

After the re-autopsy on Villamor, Remulla said he would have the body escorted to Leyte.

Personnel from the Witness Protection Program might also join since Marissa wants to see her brother and their family.

Remulla said he also offered protection to Lapid’s brother, Roy Mabasa, who reported receiving death threats.

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