CCTV captures person of interest in Percy Lapid slay; cash reward now P1.5M

Police investigators already have a person of interest in the October 3 killing of radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, or more popularly known as Percy Lapid, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Friday.

At a press briefing, NCRPO chief Police Brigadier General Jonnel Estomo said the person of interest was captured by CCTV cameras from along Lapid's routes moments before he was shot dead.

"The Special Investigation Task Force Percy Lapid, with their ongoing follow-up investigation, confirmed to have developed a person of interest in the case as a result of their collection of all available backtrack CCTV footage along the victim's routes before the incident happened," Estomo said.

SITG head Police Colonel Restituto Arcangel said the person of interest was seen in waiting in front of the city hall, which is around 100 meters away from the house of the victim.

"From the city hall we can see the guy with a jacket, he was the gunman. It was taken at around 8:03 p.m. sa harap ng city hall. Nung nakita niya 'yung victim, bigla siyang tumayo at nagpunta sa motor (When he saw the victim, he immediately stood up and rode the motorcycle)," he said during the briefing.

"This is only 100 meters mula sa bahay ng biktima until makarating sa kanto, papunta na siya sa (from the house of the victim, he was on his way to) BF Resort Village," he added.

Archangel said it was obvious that the person of interest waited for Lapid.

"If you have taken note of the time na lumabas sa CCTV, at least around five minutes or so before lumabas 'yung biktima. So hinihintay na lumabas 'yung biktima mula dun sa compound, sa bahay niya (The person of interest was already waiting five minutes before the victim went out of his house. So he waited for the victim to leave the compound, his house)," he said. 

He further said that Lapid was shot around 50 meters away from the  BFRV gate.

"Around 50 meters before yung gate (ng BFRV) siya binaril.  I guess predetermined area na alam nila na magkakatrapik dahil tinecheck 'yung mga sasakyang pumapasok (He was shot 50 meters away from the gate. I guess it was a predetermined area because the perpetrators know there will be traffic build up)," he said.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, who was also in the briefing, presented an enlarged printout of the person of interest, whose identity is still unknown.

"Importanteng ma-identify natin ang taong ito [it is important to identify this person]," Abalos said.

He expressed belief Lapid was attacked by a professional hitman.

"Ito lang masasabi ko, personally ito ang opinyon ko,  itong taong ito ay isang professional hitman as you could see very well from the evidence—kung paano siya humabol,  dalawang bala lang tapos sa ulo (In my opinion, it was a work of a professional hitman as you could see very well from the evidence—how he run after Lapid, he used only two bullets)," he said.

Estomo also announced that the reward money being offered to fast-track the resolution of the case has been increased from P500,000 to P1.5 million.

He also said the additional cash reward came from "friends of the victim and concerned citizens."

"Our very own SILG said that we are offering this reward to anyone who can provide information that will lead to the speedy resolution of this case," Estomo said, referring to Abalos, who offered the initial P500,000 reward from his own pocket.

Estomo said the police are guaranteeing the safety and security of the informant.

Abalos, meanwhile, expressed confidence that with the reward money and the person's picture released to the public, the person of interest would be identified soon and that it would be better for him to just surrender.

"Marami nang nakakaalam sa iyo, marami nang magsusumbong. Siguro sumuko ka na. Napakaimportante na sumuko ka na sapagkat pag-isipan mo, 'yung mga nag-utos sa 'yo baka may masamang gawin sa 'yo," Abalos said, addressing the person on the picture.

(A lot of people already know you and they may reach out to us. So perhaps you should surrender. It's important that you surrender before whoever ordered you to commit the crime do something bad to you.)

Lapid, host of online broadcast program "Percy Lapid Fire" at DWBL 1242 and columnist for Hataw, was shot dead by two men while on his way home in Barangay Talon Dos, Las Piñas City on the night of October 3.

Malacañang earlier said President Marcos is "concerned" over the killing of Lapid.

Meanwhile, the family of the slain broadcast journalist appealed to Marcos Jr. to lead the investigation into the killing.

Interviewed on Unang Balita, Roy Mabasa, Lapid's brother, said the President leading the investigation may put a stop to the killing of journalists "once and for all."

"Nais kong manawagan sa Pangulo na sana ay pangunahan itong imbestigasyon. Dahil bakit ba natin gusto na ang Pangulo ang nasa unahan nito? Para matigil na once and for all ang killings sa mga journalist," he said.

(I want to appeal to the President to hopefully lead the investigation. Why? So that for once and for all the killing of journalists will stop.)

"Kaya ang pakiusap natin dapat Pangulo ang mamumuno dito kung ang intensiyon ng Pangulo ay talagang supilin itong krimen na ganito laban sa mga mamamahayag," Mabasa said.

(That's why our appeal is for the President to take charge if the intention really is to put a stop to these crimes against journalists.) —KBK/RSJ/AOL, GMA News