Slain broadcaster's brother says case should not be considered solved
The killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid should not be considered solved, his brother said on Monday.
In an interview with dzBB, Roy Mabasa, Lapid’s brother, said the Philippine National Police (PNP) identifying 160 persons of interest was a welcome development, but their family would be open to a wider investigation.
“That’s a welcome development on the part of the family because at least they have something to go on,” Mabasa said.
“But we are open to having a wider investigation because we will not stop until we find the mastermind.”
Former Bureau of Corrections Bureau Director General Gerald Bantag was identified as one of the persons of interest.
Mabasa said he only found out about the second middleman when he met Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman.
“Actually I only learned about this when I met the alleged gunman. I really requested the police to allow me to face him. If I’m not mistaken, that was on October 19. That was when I discovered there was a second middleman,” Mabasa said.
“When you say case closed, that means the suspects have been fully identified, charges have been filed and a resolution has been reached. While other suspects are still running free, we cannot consider this case closed,” Mabasa said
On Sunday, Southern Police District (SPD) director Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft said in a dzBB interview that they are still continuing investigation on Lapid’s death despite considering the case solved.
“Actually we have already solved this because we have already identified the suspects and some of them are in our custody. Most of all, we already filed cases. We are still continuing investigations on this,” Kraft said.
On October 3, Lapid was shot dead in Las Pinas.
Last week, Kraft filed a murder complaint against Escorial and brothers Israel Dimaculangan and Edmund Dimaculangan, and a certain Orly. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
