PNP examining phones of confessed Percy Lapid killer, sister of 'middleman'

The police are conducting forensic examination on the cellphones of the self-confessed gunman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid as well as of the sister of the alleged middleman.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita on Thursday, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said the phones have already been submitted to the PNP's Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG).

“Doon sa mga cellphones na ginamit po ng ating self-confessed gunman na ngayon ay nai-submit na natin sa PNP-ACG as well as po 'yung cellphone na ginamit ng kapatid ng middleman ay na-forensic exam na po ng ACG,” she said.

(The cellphone of the self-confessed gunman was submitted to our PNP-ACK, while the cellphone of the middleman’s sister already underwent forensic exam.)

Fajardo said the recorded conversations between the persons of interest and the bank transactions made in connection with Lapid’s killing will be pieced together during the investigation.

According to Fajardo, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) has been conducting financial investigation on the  bank account of Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman who is now in police custody.

Fajardo said the PNP would file a petition to the court to let investigators check other bank accounts that made transactions with Escorial.

Escorial had claimed that P550,000 was transferred to his account after killing Lapid, and that he transferred some of the amount to other people.

Lapid, Percival Mabasa in real life and host of an online broadcast program and a columnist, was shot dead in Las Piñas City on October 3.

On October 18, Escorial was presented to the media following his surrender.

He identified several persons involved in the plot to kill Lapid including two middlemen Cristito Villamor and Christopher Bacoto, who are detained at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) and a jail facility under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, respectively.

Escorial also identified his cohorts in the killing, namely siblings Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan and a certain Orlando or Orly, who are all still at large.

On October 20, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Villamor died inside the NBP on October 18, hours after Escorial was presented to the media. The cellphone of the middleman was missing, according to Remulla.

Villamor’s cousin Jose, who was also detained in the NBP, has already been secured by authorities and transferred to police custody to help in the investigation.

The deceased middleman's two sisters are under witness protection after they reached out to authorities to help in the investigation. —KBK, GMA News