Crisanto or Jun? Remulla clears confusion over name of Percy Lapid slay ‘middleman’

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said the Crisanto Villamor Jr. identified as the "middleman" in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid is the same person as the Jun Villamor who died inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

At a press conference, Remulla said the Philippine National Police (PNP) identified the alleged middleman as Crisanto Villamor Jr. but was told that there was no person of that name at the New Bibilid Prison when they went to the facility to inquire about him.

“It appears that the name in the records of Bilibid is this: Jun Villamor y Globa. Kasi ito ‘yung mga record niya. Ito yung case management record niya and there’s no name of Crisanto Villamor but he is the person,” Remulla said.

He said some records, such as a Supreme Court case information, indicate the name to be Jun Villamor y Globa while others indicate the name to be Jun Villamor y Garcia.

A death certificate exclusively obtained by Super Radyo dzBB's Jhomer Apresto identified the deceased middleman as "Jun Villamor."

EXCLUSIVE: Ipinakita sa @dzbb ng BuCor ang death certificate ng inmate na namatay sa New Bilibid Prison noong ika-18 ng Oktubre.

Nilinaw din ng BuCor na walang Crisanto Villamor Jr na namatay sa kanilang piitan. |@dzbb @gmanews pic.twitter.com/S63vgSumfB

— Jhomer Apresto (@jhomer_apresto) October 21, 2022

“Sentensyado siya for attempted murder, murder, and violation of gun ban,” Remulla  said of the alleged middleman.

“So you have a person who is known by three names who was a person of interest in the Percy Lapid killing, who died, and when his record was being verified it was not immediately verified because the names inside the record of Bilibid was another name,” he added.

He said they reached the conclusion after reconciling all the records available about the person.

“It’s really just reconciling the records,” Remulla said. “That’s the only way you can do it.”

Remulla said the confusion over the name was the reason why the PNP on Thursday said that the inmate or the alleged middleman had been secured when it turned out that he was already dead for days already.

“Dalawa kasi yung middleman na pinag-uusapan dito. May isa pang middleman na who came from BJMP facility in Taguig. Maybe Camp Bagong Diwa, I don’t know what camp it is. So they have one in custody already,” he said.

When asked if inmate at Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)  is Christopher Bacoto, Remulla said, “Yes.”

According to a briefer from the Department of Justice, surrendered self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial said Bacoto talked to his companions to help him in killing Lapid while Villamor promised to pay them P550,000.

Remulla declined to give further details on Bacoto’s participation in the killing, saying he did not want to preempt any findings.

He also said Bacoto has refused to talk about the case.

“According to the police he has a lawyer who says he cannot speak about it,” he said.

Carpeta system

The Justice Secretary said that what is happening shows the importance of the carpeta system or the records of inmates. He said there must be a biometric-based carpeta system to ensure that all records are consistent.

“At the same time it helps up free them at the right time kasi ang carpeta from the time of arrest to the time of detention dapat complete record 'yan,” he said.

“Ang nangyayari kasi dito, it shows to us that there is a gap. The names itself are a gap,” he added.

Lapid, whose real name is Percival Mabasa and host of online broadcast program "Percy Lapid Fire" at DWBL 1242 and columnist for Hataw, was shot dead by two men while on his way home in Las Piñas City on October 3.

BuCor spokesman Gabriel Chaclag earlier in the day said initial findings show that there were no signs of physical external injuries on the body of Villamor, which may indicate that no foul play was involved.

Remulla said the PNP was unable to talk to Villamor before he died.

Meanwhile, Remulla, when asked about the video of Lapid criticizing a BuCor official, said he has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to look at all possible angles and motives.

“We want to find out sinu-sino ba ang pwedeng magalit o mag react sa mga sinabi sa pamamahayag [ni Percy Lapid],” he said. —KBK, GMA News