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PNP 'getting closer' to identifying mastermind in Percy Lapid slay

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Davinci Maru, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Radio commentator Percy Lapid. Percy Lapid Fire Facebook account" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/10/25/20221004-percy-lapid-fire.jpg"/><figcaption>Radio commentator Percy Lapid. Percy Lapid Fire Facebook account</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — The Philippine National Police is &quot;getting closer&quot; to identifying the mastermind behind the murder of broadcaster Percival Mabasa, its chief said Tuesday.&quot;I think the evidence that we are getting are leading us closer po to the mastermind of the case because we already have in our custody Joel Escorial and some information are coming in from the different sectors,&quot; PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. told ANC&#x27;s &quot;Headstart.&quot;He also said the sister of alleged middleman Cristito Villamor Palaña came forward to the National Bureau of Investigation with crucial information regarding the case.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/25/22/pnp-seeks-cellphone-of-alleged-middlemans-sister-for-forensic-exam">PNP seeks cellphone of alleged middleman&#x27;s sister for forensic examination</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/24/22/sister-of-alleged-middleman-in-lapid-case-under-govt-custody">Sister of alleged middleman in Lapid slay case placed under gov’t custody</a></li></ul>Palaña was previously identified as Crisanto or Jun Villamor. He died at the New Bilibid Prison on the same day that alleged hitman Escorial faced the media and confessed to killing Mabasa.&quot;We are really getting closer po dun sa goal natin na ma-identify who really ordered the killing of sir Percy Mabasa,&quot; Azurin said.The PNP chief also reiterated that foul play might have been involved in Palaña&#x27;s death.&quot;Dahil nga po sa sinabi ko na parang napaka-incidental naman na kung kailan pa kami nag-coordinate sa kanila initially to secure po &#x27;yung supposedly na middleman ay bigla ho namatay,&quot; Azurin said.He said officials at the state penitentiary failed to secure Palaña.&quot;Bakit hindi ho nila sinecure &#x27;yung tao? Ang nangyari, namatay po on the day na ongoing po &#x27;yung press release ng aming DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) secretary,&quot; Azurin said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/20/22/bilibid-detained-middleman-in-percy-lapid-slay-dies-doj">Alleged &#x27;middleman&#x27; in Percy Lapid slay dies in Bilibid: DOJ chief</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=2307668" 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>Mabasa, a commentator on DWIZ 882 KHZ and DWBL 1242 AM, was killed by motorcycle-riding assailants on Oct. 3 in Las Piñas City. He was popularly known as Percy Lapid.He was a vocal critic of the Duterte and Marcos administrations.Police said it is highly probable Mabasa&#x27;s killing is work-related.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/04/22/beteranong-brodkaster-patay-sa-pamamaril-sa-las-pias">Percy Lapid, beteranong brodkaster, patay sa pamamaril sa Las Piñas</a></li></ul>The gunman earlier confessed he and 3 others took part in the ambush on orders from a person in NBP. He said they later split the P550,000 reward among themselves. He did not cite the motive nor identified the mastermind behind the killing. But he identified Palaña as the broker. Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag has been suspended to give way to an impartial investigation into Palaña&#x27;s death. Authorities said they have also secured a second middleman, who is detained at a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/24/22/suspended-bucor-chief-a-person-of-interest-in-lapid-slay">Suspended BuCor chief Bantag a ‘person of interest’ in Lapid killing</a></li></ul>

The Philippine National Police is 'getting closer' to identifying the mastermind behind the murder of broadcaster Percival Mabasa.

PNP 'getting closer' to identifying mastermind in Percy Lapid slay

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PNP 'getting closer' to identifying mastermind in Percy Lapid slay

Davinci Maru,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 25, 2022 12:41 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 25, 2022 01:12 PM PHT

Read More:

PNP

Philippine National Police

police

crime

murder

killing

slay

Percival Mabasa

Percy Lapid

Jun Villamor

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