MANILA — A forensic expert on Wednesday completed a second and independent autopsy on an alleged middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa.

The first autopsy by the National Bureau of Investigation found no external physical injury on alleged middleman Jun Villamor, an inmate who died at the National Bilibid Prison last week.

But forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun questioned why the body was embalmed 2 days before it was autopsied, noting the effect of chemicals on tissue samples. She also said there were no findings about the head or the brain of Villamor, and if the loss of oxygen had been looked into.

Villamor's body was sent to the University of the Philippines for a second autopsy by Fortun on Tuesday. She did an external examination of the body on the same day and had hoped to finish the internal examination by Wednesday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla said.

From the UP Manila, the remains were brought back to a funeral home in Muntinlupa City at around 3 p.m., on board a vehicle of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

Until claimed by relatives, the body would stay at the morgue, its staff said.

• Percy Lapid killing: Remulla says all persons named by middleman's sister secured

Fortun is set to disclose her findings on Friday.

Villamor died on Oct. 18, hours after gunman Joel Escorial told reporters he shot Mabasa on the orders of someone from Bilibid.

Escorial did not reveal the mastermind or the motive behind the Oct. 3 killing. But he identified Villamor as the supposed middleman in the murder plot.

Authorities later said they secured a second middleman who is detained at a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility.

Government this week placed Villamor’s sister under witness protection after revealing her brother told her who allegedly gave the hit order on Mabasa.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he was not convinced Villamor died of natural causes. He said he told authorities to continue probing leads in the radio personality's shooting.

• Marcos Jr. not convinced Percy Lapid slay middleman died of natural causes

Mabasa is the second journalist to be killed since Marcos took office in June. Police say the murder was likely work-related.

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