The Philippine National Police (PNP) has labeled more or less 160 personalities as persons of interest in the Oct. 3 killing of hard-hitting broadcast journalist Percival Mabasa, more known as Percy Lapid.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. said the 160 personalities were the subject of criticisms of Mabasa in his program over dwBL and in the more than 600 videos that were uploaded in the social media since 2021.
One of those 160 persons of interest, according to Azurin, is sacked Bureau of Corrections director general Gerardo Bantag.
"On the part of the PNP, all of the 160 personalities mentioned in the issues discussed by Percy Lapid are considered persons of interest," said Azurin.
When pressed if Bantag was one of them, Azurin said yes.
"But we have to really establish the motive that led to the killing of Percy Lapid," said Azurin.
This is the reason, according to Azurin, why they have been investigating to get a clear picture of the circumstances that led to the killing of Mabasa based on the statements issued by confessed gunman Joel Escorial and other personalities that include the other middleman under the custody of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the relative of Villamor who was also detained at the NBP is now being secured by the PNP.
Azurin disclosed that they have already collated and are currently reviewing the content of the videos in the program of Mabasa.
He said one of the initiatives is to come up with a tally as to who among the more than 160 personalities were frequently criticized by Mabasa.
"So we are now conducting a tally on the basis of the issues that Percy Lapid discussed. But it does not necessarily mean that whoever has the most criticisms ate the main suspect," said Azurin.
Aside from Bantag, other personalities criticized by Mabasa were ranking government officials, police and military officials and even some media personalities, particularly those who were appointed to government posts.
Bantag was sacked from his post over the death of the middleman in the Percy Lapid killing inside the New Bilibid Prisons. The BuCor supervises and manages the NBP.