Roy Mabasa, the journalist brother of slain broadcaster Percy Lapid, yesterday said they are seeking to file additional murder charges against those involved in the heinous crime by Friday or until Monday next week.
Mabasa said he cannot disclose the number of individuals that will be charged.
“There will be murder charges that will be filed but I do not yet know the names and I can’t tell you amid the ongoing investigation of the NBI and the PNP,” he said.
Mabasa had a case conference with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and the National Bureau of Investigation personnel with regard to the investigation, before facing the media.
“We thank the DoJ, the NBI, and the PNP for their efforts to solve the killing of my brother and to identify the individuals behind this, including the masterminds,” he said.
Mabasa expressed belief that the Department of Justice is close to identifying the mastermind behind the shooting of the broadcaster.
“I think we are near. Based on our discussion earlier, it seems like someone is already being identified. But I’m not at liberty to say the names,” said Mabasa, adding he will let the DoJ, the NBI, and the PNP complete the investigation.
“We will let the DoJ do its job with the NBI and the PNP. There may be an announcement in the next one, two, or three days,” he said.
In the provision of security to the Mabasa family, the brother said he and Remulla also agreed on providing security for their family but not an inclusion to the Witness Protection Program as it would further limit their movement.
Roy said that if the family will be placed under the Witness Protection Provram, they will feel more constricted, thus they thought that they should just be given security and Secretary Remulla agreed a few days ago.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun said the results of her autopsy on the body of Cristito Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of Lapid, showed that the remains have a “history of asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation.”
Fortun said they are planning to conduct more tests on Villamor’s body as they also discovered shabu in his urine.