📷Percy Lapid
IN what appears to be another setback in the quest for justice for the slain hard-hitting journalist Percy Lapid, the alleged accomplice of self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial died during a police operation meant to serve an arrest warrant.
According to National Capital Region Police Director Jose Nartatez Jr., 40-year old Jake Mendoza (initially identified as Orly) shot himself inside the bathroom of a rented residential unit in Lipa City, Batangas.
“Nagbaril po siya sa sarili niya in-front of the negotiator at ng pinsan niya,” Nartatez said in a radio interview.
However, Lapid’s brother, former National Press Club President Roy Mabasa doesn’t seem convinced.
In his Facebook post, Mabasa said: “It appears that everyone who could speak out about the case of the late broadcaster Percy Lapid is either being silenced or has died under mysterious circumstances.”
During the operation, Nartatez said that Mendoza held his live-in partner and child as hostages, for which the cops asked the help of some family members to talk to Mendoza.
After several hours, Mendoza released the hostages and “locked himself” inside the bathroom where he allegedly shot himself.
Nartatez admits, two other suspects surnamed Dimaculangan are still at large and being hunted down by a police tracker team.
“Meron pang dalawa, yung Dimaculangan brothers, as well as yung iba pang charged in this case yung kay General Bantag. Kung sumuko lang siya nang maayos, mabibigyan natin ng mas malinaw, kasi he will be telling kung mag-cooperate siya,” Nartatez averred.
Escorial, who turned himself in days after killing Lapid said that he was paid to kill the broadcaster, adding that the order came from the trusted lieutenant of then Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
