DOJ: Escorial, Bacoto unlikely to qualify for witness protection in Percy Lapid case

Confessed gunman Joel Escorial and alleged middleman Christopher Bacoto are unlikely to qualify for the witness protection program in the Percy Lapid case, Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson Mico Clavano said on Friday.

“The witness protection program, mukhang malabo yun (that is unlikely) because there are requirements, and the last one there - they should not have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude,” Clavano told reporters in an interview.

“Because they are in maximum security most likely they are convicted of a crime that involved moral turpitude so hindi sila ano (so they are not qualified),” he added.

The continuation of the preliminary investigation on the murder complaint filed against confessed gunman Joel Escorial and his three other accomplices was conducted on Friday.

On October 3, Lapid, host of an online broadcast program and a columnist for a tabloid, was shot dead in Las Piñas City.

Escorial, who surrendered to the police, identified the accomplices as siblings Israel and Edmund Dimaculangan, and a certain Orly, who are all still at large.

Aside from the three accomplices, Escorial also identified Bacoto and Cristito Villamor as the middlemen in the plot to kill Lapid. Bacoto was detained at a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) jail facility while Villamor was in the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

Villamor died in the NBP hours after Escorial was presented to the media on October 18.

A Thursday 24 Oras report said Bilibid inmate alias "Jocon '' said in a sworn statement that a prison mayor known as alias May-may ordered him and three other inmates to kill Villamor.

Jocon said he was the one who held the plastic bag to suffocate Villamor. His three companions held the alleged middleman's hands, arms, and feet. — DVM, GMA Integrated News