The alleged second middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, Christopher Bacoto, denied knowing confessed gunman Joel Escorial, his lawyer said Sunday.
“He was surprised, he did not know him. But so far he also does not know the reason (behind it),” said lawyer Salvador Quimpo, legal counsel of Bacoto, who is also known as Jeric Sandoval.
The denial came a day before the National Bureau of Investigation is set file cases against more people involved in the killing of Mabasa.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said investigators are still planning to talk to two or more people who are “very high in the chain of the Percy Lapid case.”
He said the masterminds of the murder may also soon be unmasked.
Based on his supplemental affidavit, Escorial said Bacoto was his childhood friend in Leyte. He said Bacoto is also called “Yoyoy” in the province.
Escorial said he found out that Bacoto was also using another name “Jerry Sandoval” after he watched a report that he had an encounter with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Escorial said Bacoto was calling him every night using a different cellphone number. Last September 28, Bacoto called Escorial to get updates on the alleged contract killing.
Escorial said there was nothing to report, as they were still trying to figure out how to get to Mabasa.
He said he also gave Bacoto P70,000 from the P550,000, which was paid to him for killing Mabasa.
Asked how he gave the money to Bacoto since he was in prison, Escorial said Bacoto had the money deposited in an account of a certain woman.
Escorial also presented a transaction slip dated October 5 that allegedly showed the deposit.
The investigators and officials of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) held a meeting to finalize the complaints that were to be filed against the people behind the killing of Lapid and the other middleman – Cristito Villamor-Palaña.