INTERIOR Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. offered on Wednesday evening, October 5, 2022, a P500,000 reward for anyone who can give information that could lead to the arrest of the suspects in the killing of veteran radio host and columnist Percival Mabasa, more popularly known as “Percy Lapid.”
"I am offering P500,000 from my own money, for any information na makakatulong pa sa imbestigasyon (that can aid in the investigation)," Abalos said in his statement following his visit to Mabasa’s wake at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.
He said the funds will come from his own pocket.
Lawyer and businessman Alex Lopez has also offered P1 million for anyone who can give information related to the incident.
Abalos assured the bereaved family members that the government will use all of its resources to identify the assailants as well as the mastermind behind Mabasa’s ambush.
He also said the Philippine National Police (PNP) is extensively looking at all possible angles and leads to identifying the perpetrators, specifically the mastermind behind the killing.
The National Bureau of Investigation is also conducting a probe into the fatal incident.
Work-related?
Mabasa was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding suspects around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, October 3, at the gate of BF Resort along Aria Street, Barangay Talon 2, Las Piñas City.
Police have already recovered the footage of the dash and rear camera from the victim’s vehicle as well as the security cameras around the area where the incident happened.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) said that while it is still too early to establish the exact motive behind the incident, it is presumed that the killing is "work-related."
National Capital Region Police Office-Southern Police District (SPD) Director Colonel Kirby John Kraft said the Special Investigation Task Group is also looking at several personalities that are the subject of Mabasa’s hard-hitting program "Lapid on Fire."
"We are yet to arrive at a point where we could say a certain personality is considered a person of interest in the case. However, we are looking at all the personalities mentioned in his program," he said.
He said probers are also coordinating with the family to see if the victim has received death threats before the ambush.
Mabasa has been critical to the Duterte administration as well as to some personalities in and policies of the current administration.
He also tackled on his program some controversial issues such as the ruling of Manila Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar, who ruled against tagging the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army as a terrorist group.
A plea to Marcos
Mabasa’s brother, former National Press Club president Roy Mabasa, sought the help of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to put the suspects behind bars.
"'Yung boses ng Presidente at malaking bagay pagdating sa resolution ng kaso. If the President will only pursue dahil nasa kaniya ang powers ng lahat, ng executive, kaya niyang utusan ang mga nasa legislative and judiciary, siguro naman mari-resolve ito kung ang Presidente mismo ang tututok diyan, 'yun ang panawagan ko," he said.
(The voice of the President is a big deal when it comes to the resolution of the case. If the President will only pursue because he has all the powers, the executive, he can order those in the legislative and judiciary. Maybe the case can be resolved early if the President himself will also focus on that, that's my call.)
"I understand that yung representative from Malacañang will be visiting us tomorrow so I'd have to wait, so I don't want to jump to conclusion. I want to give the government the benefit of the doubt, total nagtatrabaho naman talaga sila, in fairness to them,” he added.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin along with Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevara visited Mabasa’s wake on Thursday morning.
Guevarra earlier said that Marcos had expressed concern over the incident and had ordered him to closely coordinate with the authorities for the investigation. (SunStar Philippines)