President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is not convinced that the alleged middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid died of natural causes, saying there are other ways to "kill a person" without flagging the medico-legal.
Marcos said this after autopsy findings showed that Jun Villamor, the inmate who allegedly served as the middleman in the killing of Lapid, suffered a heart hemorrhage.
In an interview with reporters, the President said he was dissatisfied with the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)'s autopsy.
"The toxicology report came back. Walang lason o walang gamot na binigay doon sa namatay. But I'm still not satisfied that it's natural causes," he said on Wednesday, October 26.
"So, sabi ko tingnan ninyo nang mabuti (I told them to look more carefully) because there are ways to kill a person that do not show up in the medico-legal," he added.
Last week, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla announced that Villamor had died. The NBI's autopsy findings showed that "the heart showed a hemorrhagic area over the left ventricle."
The autopsy also "autopsy found "no apparent sign of external physical injury."
Lapid was fatally shot by gunmen riding a motorcycle along Aria Street in Las Piñas City on October 3.
'I'm monitoring'
Meanwhile, Marcos denied criticisms that he had been silent about the killing of Lapid, whose real name was Percival Mabasa. Journalist Roy Mabasa, the victim's brother, also accused the Palace of having no interest in the case following the death of the alleged middleman.
"I have been monitoring. I talk to DOJ Remulla and Abalos three, four, five times a day, and each time we talk about this," he said.
The President said he was letting the police do their job.
"We do not have any particular directives. The police know what to do. I'll just get in the way," he said.
"So, tuloy-tuloy pa ang imbestigasyon. But more importantly, is to really trace saan nanggaling 'to (The investigation is still ongoing. But it's more important to trace where this started)," he added.
On Saturday, Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) officer-in-charge Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil assured Filipino journalists that President Marcos Jr. remains committed to protecting them as he considers them an essential pillar of democracy.
"Makaaasa kayo na ang ating Pangulo ay patuloy ang pagkilala sa hanay ng media bilang importanteng haligi ng ating demokrasya (Be assured that the President continues to acknowledge the media as a vital pillar of our democracy)," she said.
"Patuloy ang commitment niya na kayo ay proteksyonan at kilalanin ang inyong important role sa nation-building (He remains committed in protecting you and recognizes the important role you play in nation-building)," she added.
In a speech this month, President Marcos assured the media members that he remains committed to upholding the right to free speech and press freedom and that the government will remain open with them.