Sister of 'middleman' in Percy slay taken into witness protection, says Remulla

The sister of the New Bilibid Prison inmate who allegedly facilitated the transaction to kill broadcaster Percy Lapid has been taken into the witness protection program, Justice Secretary Boying Remulla said on Monday.

"Yes to both," Remulla said when  asked in a Viber thread with reporters if the sister had been taken into the custody of the WPP or if she would still undergo evaluation.

One of the persons who was acted as "a middleman" in the plot to kill Lapid died last week at the NBP Hospital. Autopsy showed he suffered heart hemmorhage.

Authorities, however, said that there was another middleman, who had been secured as investigation into the Lapid killing continued.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo brought the sister to the Department of Justice after the relative sought assistance.

"Itinurn-over namin ‘yung isang relative nung involved dito sa kaso so nilagay sa witness protection program," Tulfo told reporters.

"So sinamahan sa office ko kanina and then ang sabi naman sa akin kasi dito mo na dalhin sa witness protection para mabigyan ng proteksyon. So 'yun 'yung participation niya sa kaso. Isa sa mga relative na involved sa kaso," he added.

Lapid was shot dead while on his way home in Las Piñas City on October 3.

The information that an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison facilitated the transaction too kill Lapid was announced on October 20.

On the same day, Remulla confirmed reports that he had died at the NBP Hospital.

The existence of the first middleman, later identified to be Jun Villamor, was announced on October 20, the same day he was announced dead by Remulla.

Remulla the following day said there was a second middleman when asked why the Philippine National Police initially said the middleman had been secured when it turned out he had died.

Remulla said the second middleman was at a facility of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. He confirmed this to be Christopher Bacoto.

According to a briefer from the Department of Justice, confessed gunman Joel Escorial said Bacoto talked to his companions to help him in killing Lapid while Villamor promised to pay P550,000.

Earlier on Monday, the Department of Justice started the preliminary investigation into the murder complaint filed against Escorial and three other accomplices in the killing of Lapid.

The Philippine National Police also said that around 160 personalities, including former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag, are considered persons of interest in the killing of Lapid. —NB/GMA News