Even a young family member in Tuguegaro City of slain radio commentator Percival C. Mabasa, better known as Percy Lapid, has received threats.
Veteran journalist Roy C. Mabasa, brother of Percival, on Wednesday, Nov. 2, said: “Yung isang pamangkin ko, bata pa ito, ay pinadala niya sa akin one of the threats that he has received in the past few days (One of my young nephews has sent me the threats that he has received in the past few days).”
“So, ibibigay ko ito sa mga authorities para ma-imbestigahan ito (So, I will give these to authorities for investigation),” Roy said.
Roy was at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Manila on Wednesday, Nov. 2, and met with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla and officials of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for updates on the probe being conducted on the killing of his brother last Oct. 3.
He said the Mabasa family has reached an agreement with Remulla in providing security for them instead of placing them under the DOJ’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).
“Kung ilalagay sa WPP yan ay lalo lang siguro sila makukulong (If they will be placed under the WPP their movements will the more be restricted),” Roy explained.
“So, ang iniisip namin bigyan na lang seguridad siguro na gagawin naman ni Secretary Remulla even a few days ago kaya yun yung gagawin natin (That’s why we thought of availing ourselves of security which Secretary Remulla intends to do),” he added.
Meanwhile, lawyer Berteni Causing, the spokesperson of the Mabasa family, urged three suspects in murder case to surrender, namely: brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, and a person identified only as “Orly” or “Orlando.”
“Umaapela kami sa tatlong ito na makipagtulungan na sila (We appeal to them to cooperate),” Causing said.
“Ang assurance na aming maibibigay ay ma i-recommend namin sila sa Witness Protection Program (We assure them that we will recommend that they be placed under the WPP),” he pointed out.
Aside from self-confessed gunman Joel S. Escorial, the Dimaculangan brothers and a certain “Orly” or “Orlando” have been charged with murder for Percy Lapid’s killing before the DOJ.
On request of Escorial, the DOJ started a preliminary investigation. He affirmed his statements issued on the killing.
The preliminary investigation resumes on Friday, Nov. 4. If the three other respondents have surrendered or arrested, they will be presented during the investigation.
TAGS: #DOJ #Remulla #Percy Lapid #Escorial