PBBM unconvinced middleman in Lapid slay died of natural causes

PRESIDENT FERDINAND R. Marcos is not convinced that inmate Cristito Villamor Palaña, the alleged middleman in the slaying of broadcaster Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa, died of natural causes.

Marcos made this remark following results of the autopsy conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) which showed that “there were no apparent signs of external physical injury.”

“The toxicology report came back and mukha talagang walang ano – walang lason o walang gamot na ibinigay doon sa namatay (The toxicology report came back and it looks like there was no poison or drugs given to the deceased),” Marcos told reporters in a chance interview on Wednesday.

“I am still not satisfied that it was natural causes. So sabi ko, tingnan niyo nang mabuti (So I said, look at it closely) because there are ways to kill a person that do not show up in the medico legal. So tuloy-tuloy pa ang imbestigasyon (So, the investigation continues),” he added.

Meanwhile, Marcos assured that he has been talking to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos several times daily to get updates on the Lapid killing

Asked if he would issue any directive to the police, Marcos expressed confidence in the country’s police force.

“The police know what to do. I’ll just get in the way. Alam ko… Imbestigahan ninyo nang mabuti. Alamin natin nang mabuti kung sinong behind this (I know you’ll investigate this thoroughly. Let’s really find out who’s behind this),” he said.

“But more importantly, is to really trace saan nanggaling ito (where this started)? Who gave the order? Sino ‘yung nagbigay doon sa preso na orderin ang shooter na gawin ito at bakit (Who told the shooter to do this and why)? That is what we are working on now,” he added.

According to an initial report from the NBI, Palaña died inside the prison hospital on Oct. 18, allegedly of natural causes, on the same day self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial was presented to the media and pointed to him as one of the middlemen in the killing of Mabasa.

The autopsy findings showed that Palaña’s heart “showed a hemorrhagic area over the left ventricle.”

Lapid was gunned down at the gate of a subdivision on Aria Street, Barangay Talon Dos, in Las Piñas City on Oct. 3.

Malacañang earlier assured that the Marcos administration is committed to protecting the independence, rights, and security of all journalists and media workers in the country.

During the President’s Night organized by the Manila Overseas Press Club at the Sofitel Plaza last Oct. 5, Marcos himself vowed to support and protect media rights under his administration as well as listen to all their concerns.

“Under my lead, we will support and protect the rights of the media as they efficiently perform their duty. Whatever difficulties we may encounter from this point on, the government will always be ready to lend an ear and to listen to your concerns and to answer all that you may want to know,” he said in his speech. (Azer Parrocha)