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No signs of foul play in death of alleged middleman in Percy Lapid case: BuCor

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Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The Bureau of Corrections" New="" Bilibid="" Prison="" in="" Muntinlupa="" City.="" Mark="" ABS-CBN="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/07/06/20190903-new-bilibid-prison-md-7085.jpg"/><figcaption>The Bureau of Corrections&#x27; New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — The Bureau of Corrections on Friday said its initial findings indicated no signs of foul play in the death of an alleged middleman in the murder plot against broadcaster Percival Mabasa, more known as Percy Lapid, an official said Friday.The alleged middleman Jun Villamor, an inmate at the National Bilibid Prisons, died on Tuesday afternoon. His death came hours after supposed hitman Joel Escorial confessed to having shot dead Mabasa on the orders of a contact at the national penitentiary. &quot;[A]s per BuCor Health Service, initial findings showed no signs of physical external injuries which probably indicates a natural cause of death or no signs of foul play,&quot; BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said in a statement.But he said the BuCor will still wait for the final autopsy result of the National Bureau of Investigation.<div>&#x27;UNDETERMINED&#x27; CAUSE OF DEATH </div>Villamor was found unconscious in his cell by his fellow inmates around noon on October 18. He was brought to the NBP Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by the medical officer on duty. “‘Yung nangyari, kinwento sa amin ng bantay kalusugan namin, the bantay kalusugan saw this individual having coffee in the morning, around 9 a.m. Hinayaan lang nila. By the time na bandang 11 na, tinawag siya ng kasalo. Kasalo is ‘yung kabuddy-buddy sa pagkain, sa lunchtime,” NBP Hospital director Dr. Henry Fabro said.(Based on what was told to us by the medical officer, the medical officer saw this individual having coffee in the morning, around 9 a.m. They let him be. At around 11 a.m., he was called by his kasalo or mealtime buddy.)“Nung tinatawag siya, hindi na siya sumagot. Nung hindi siya sumagot, binuksan ang kanyang area, selda, nakita siya na lugmok na sa kama. Then, tinakbo na siya sa ating emergency room.”(He did not respond. His area, cell was opened and they found him on the bed. He was rushed to our emergency room.)According to the death certificate of the alleged intermediary, the cause of death is “undetermined”. “Pag dinala ang isang pasyente at nag-expire sa ER na walang sapat na panahon para masuri o ma-laboratory, ang nilalagay talaga is undetermined cause of death, tapos tsaka magre-request tayo ng autopsy. ‘Yun po talagang nilalagay ng mga doktor para masigurado ano ang cause of death,” Fabro explained.(When a patient is brought to the ER and he died without enough time to be examined or undergo laboratory exams, the cause of death is stated as undetermined, then we will request an autopsy. That is what doctors write to check the cause of death.)Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun said the Philippines should have a death investigation system in place.“In the first place, we should have a system, automatic ‘yan, you have a person in custody deprived of liberty, the State is supposed to—should be in charge of that individual. Anything that happens to him or her has to be investigated,” Fortun told ABS-CBN News Channel.“If we have a death investigation system, this is one of the cases where you don’t need a request, you don’t really need consent, automatic, the procedure process kicks in.”<div>MIDDLEMAN&#x27;S COUSIN </div>A day after the death of the alleged middleman, the BuCor said it secured another inmate: Jose Palana Villamor, the cousin of Jun Villamor.“When the information came, sinecure naman natin lahat ng Villamor. In coordination with the PNP, ang Jose Villamor ay secured po iyon, pero ang Jun Villamor ay namatay noong October 18,” Chaclag told reporters in Muntinlupa City on Friday.(When the information came, we secured all the Villamors. In coordination with the PNP, Jose Villamor was secured. But the one who died on October 18 was Jun Villamor.)Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed that Jose Villamor was turned over to the custody of the Philippine National Police Custodial Center on Thursday night.BuCor documents showed both Jun and Jose Villamor are detained at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison — Jun for murder and attempted murder cases, and Jose for kidnapping for ransom.Both are aged 42 and hail from Leyte.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/21/22/bucor-secures-cousin-of-alleged-middleman-in-lapid-slay-case">BuCor secures cousin of alleged middleman in Lapid slay case</a></li></ul><div>ONE MAN, THREE NAMES </div>But Chaclag maintained the bureau has no record of a certain Crisanto Palana Villamor, the alleged middleman self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial identified in his extrajudicial confession.“If we base it on the name na Crisanto P. Villamor, we don’t have in our records. Kinuha namin lahat ng records na may last name na Villamor at dalawa lang ang meron dun: Jose Palana Villamor and Jun Globa Villamor. The one who died is Jun Globa Villamor,” Chaclag said.“Walang admitted na PDL named Crisanto P. Villamor,” he added.Remulla earlier Crisanto Villamor and Jun Villamor are &quot;one and the same person.&quot;&quot;You have a person who is known by 3 names who was a person of interest in the Percy Lapid killing,&quot; he said. Escorial positively identified Villamor through a photo on Thursday. <div>SECOND MIDDLEMAN </div>The PNP on Thursday said there were 2 middlemen in the case. The second middleman is detained at a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facility, Remulla said. “Well-secured na po ‘yung sa BJMP kasi ‘yung tinuro po ng gunman ay 2 po... So, isa po ay nasa BJMP, isa rin yung nasa BuCor na, unfortunately, ay namatay. So, ‘yung BJMP well-secured,” Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia said.(The one in BJMP is well-secured because the gunman is pointing to 2 middlemen. One is with the BJMP, the other is with the BuCor, who unfortunately died. The one in BJMP is well-secured.)The PNP has also secured the family of Joel Escorial, according to Sermonia.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/21/22/bucor-chief-suspended-after-middleman-in-percy-lapid-slay-dies">Marcos orders BuCor chief&#x27;s suspension after death of &#x27;middleman&#x27; in Percy Lapid slay</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2302682" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The BuCor said its initial findings indicated no signs of foul play in the death of an alleged middleman in the slay of broadcaster Percival Mabasa.

No signs of foul play in death of alleged middleman in Percy Lapid case: BuCor

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No signs of foul play in death of alleged middleman in Percy Lapid case: BuCor

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 21, 2022 08:16 PM PHT

|

Updated October 21, 2022 10:49 PM PHT

Read More:

Percy Lapid

Joel Escorial

middleman

Bilibid

inmate

Jose Palana Villamor

Jun Globa Villamor

Crisanto Palana Villamor

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