Duterte a POI in Percy Lapid slay? Nega na 'yan, says SPD's Kraft

The Southern Police District (SPD) on Tuesday said former President Rodrigo Duterte was not among the 160 persons of interest in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid.

Southern Police District director Police Brigadier General John Kirby Kraft said Duterte was not among the persons of interest in the case after investigators reviewed numerous postings in which Lapid called out personalities, including politicians and military and police officials.

“Nega na po ‘yan (That is a negative),” Kraft told GMA News Online when asked if Duterte was among the POIs.

Roy Mabasa, a journalist and Lapid's brother, said his family was wondering if Duterte's name was one of those which figured in the Philippine National Police's review of Lapid's posts.

"Sa amin lang pag-iisip ay gusto lang rin namin malaman kung sino ba 'yung 160 persons of interest na 'yun. Kasama ba diyan si Ginoong Duterte?" he said.

(In our mind, we wanted to know who these 160 persons of interest are. Is Mr. Duterte among them?)

“Kasi maraming tinalakay si Ka Percy. Kung 160 programs ‘yung pinanood nung PNP para pagbasehan ‘yung persons of interest, sigurado ako na maraming pangalan naka-include diyan. Maaring kasama ‘yung pangalan diyan ni Ginoong Duterte,” he added.

(Ka Percy discussed a lot of things. If the PNP reviewed his 160 programs to get the names of persons of interest, I'm sure many names would be there. Mr. Duterte's could be one of them.)

Mabasa said their family remained open to all possibilities.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the inclusion of the former president among the POIs was farfetched and political.

On November 7, the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed murder complaints against suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and others in relation to Lapid's killing.

Lapid, a hard-hitting radio commentator, was shot dead in Las Piñas City on October 3. —Richa Noriega/NB, GMA News