NBI, PNP start joint probe into death of Lapid slay ‘middleman’ —DOJ

The National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police have started a joint investigation into the death of Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday.

“Well, probably by Monday everything will be very clear. Kanina nag joint investigation na ang NBI atsaka ang pulis on the Jun Villamor y Globa death. So it’s being investigated,” Remulla said in an ambush interview.

(Well, probably by Monday everything will be clear. Earlier the NBI and the PNP started a joint investigation into the Jun Villamor y Globa death. So it’s being investigated.)

Earlier, Remulla said that the DOJ is investigating the possibility that Villamor, an inmate in the New Bilibid Prison, may have been murdered.

He said this was tackled during the morning session.

“Kaysa ipasa-pasa mo, patakbuhin mo pa ‘yung mga tao, maghahabol sila, pareho naman nakikipag usap sa atin, isabay na natin sila,” Remulla said.

(Instead of passing things around and making people run around, let’s just have them do it together.)

“And ano ‘yan this morning session was based on the dying declaration. It was basically prompted by a dying declaration that was in the form of the text to the sister of Jun Villamor,” he said.

(This morning's session was based on the dying declaration. It was basically prompted by a dying declaration that was in the form of the text to the sister of Jun Villamor.)

According to the Justice secretary, it was “too much of a coincidence” that Villamor had sent a dying declaration saying that he would be killed before passing away.

Remulla also said that four persons of interest in the case gave their statements.

Initial findings of the National Bureau of Investigation showed that Villamor suffered a hemorrhage in the heart. The report also indicated that the autopsy found “no apparent sign of external physical injury.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., meanwhile, has said that he is not convinced that Villamor died of natural causes.

Lapid was shot dead by two men in Las Piñas City on October 3. He was the host of online broadcast program "Percy Lapid Fire" at DWBL 1242 and a columnist for Hataw — BM, GMA News