Well, he is a person of interest. Definitely he’s a person of interest at least for reckless imprudence that is already being sought,” Remulla told reporters during an ambush interview at the Department of Justice in Padre Faura, Manila while the preliminary investigation on the Mabasa case was ongoing.“All possible suspects are being considered. All angles are being considered. We have to be thorough with this,” he added.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. also told a news conference in Camp Crame that Bantag is among 160 personalities who were subjects of Mabasa's commentaries and are considered now as "persons of interest" in the case.

Azurin said he was informed that since 2021, Mabasa had "600 postings" of his commentaries on various issues, covering around 160 politicians, policemen and military men, among others.

"Eto mga tinitingnan natin na mga probable na baka may kinalaman dun sa pagkamatay ni Percy," he said.

ABS-CBN News sought for Bantag's comment and is awaiting reply.

Remulla explained, however, that he “cannot comment on the guilt or innocence of these people,” referring to Bantag and other names that have cropped up in the course of the investigation, appealing to the media not report unvalidated names yet.

“We have not stopped studying all possibilities. Those names are familiar already. And that we’re not stopping. I will turn over many of the information to the NBI this afternoon so they can validate the information. I will ask them also to speak with the witnesses inside the custodial center so that this can be properly validated,” he said.

Earlier, the family of Mabasa said they will file administrative and criminal charges against Bantag.

“We are happy to announce at least administrative case pa lang, sasampahan na namin ng kaso si Gen. Bantag sapagkat naging pabaya siya at nakalusot ang cellphone,” lawyer Berteni Causing, the spokesperson of the Mabasa family said on the sidelines of the preliminary investigation conducted by DOJ prosecutors.

“Kung hindi dahil may cellphone itong middleman, hindi sana napatay si Ka Percy. Wala sanang kontratang nangyari,” he added.

Causing was referring to alleged middleman Crisanto Villamor, Jr., also known as Jun Globa Villamor, who supposedly offered and paid self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial P550,000 in exchange for the killing of Mabasa.

Escorial confessed to shooting Lapid thrice on the evening of Oct. 3, 2022, outside the subdivision in Las Piñas City where the Mabasas live.

Aside from an administrative case, the Mabasas are also looking at filing a criminal charge of “reckless imprudence resulting in murder.” 

“Kasi kung hindi imprudence, walang cellphone na mangyayari sa loob ng kulungan. At kung walang cellphone, walang patayan na nangyari. It’s through his recklessness that resulted into the death of Percy Lapid,” Causing said of Bantag.

VILLAMOR AUTOPSY

Causing, who attended the preliminary investigation as spokesperson and not as lawyer of the Mabasas, also expressed doubt on the results of the autopsy on Villamor.

The NBI found no gunshot wounds and no external physical injuries on the body of Villamor. Instead, it found a hemorragic area in the left ventricle of the heart. 

The BuCor ruled out foul play. But on Monday morning on ANC Rundown, forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun said the two-page memo is not a technical report and cannot be considered conclusive.

Fortun also said there were no findings about the state of the head or the brain of Villamor, and if asphyxia or the loss of oxygen has been looked into.

Fortun questioned why the body was embalmed before it was autopsied, noting the effect of chemicals on the tissue samples which are to undergo histopathology and toxicology exams.

Causing said the Mabasa family wants to find out if Villamor was poisoned.

Remulla said he has spoken to Fortun and she has “basically” agreed to conduct the re-autopsy.

Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento is set to issue a statement on the preliminary investigation, as it was closed off to the media.

Causing told ANC's Dateline Philippines that Escorial submitted a supplemental extrajudicial confession during the proceeding.

Escorial appeared at the preliminary investigation.Remulla said it is premature to discuss Escorial’s state witness status as that will only kick in once charges have been filed in court. 

Meanwhile, Remulla confirmed some movements in the BuCor as some Bureau of Jail Management and Penology personnel deployed to BuCor jails can now return to their units following the lapse of the memorandum of agreement between the DOJ and the BJMP.

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