THE Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation are separately investigating the killing of a radio broadcaster and vlogger who was known for his sharp criticisms of former President Rodrigo Duterte and the policies and officials under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, officials said.
Percival Mabasa, popularly known as Percy Lapid, had been critical of “red-tagging” as well as online gambling operations and misinformation about the martial law regime of Marcos’ late father and namesake, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).
The popular commentator, who had 215,000 YouTube subscribers and 45,000 Facebook followers, became a strong voice of dissent on social media platforms dominated by pro-Duterte and pro-Marcos vloggers.
Mabasa had supported the presidential campaign of former vice-president Leni Robredo and called the Marcos and Duterte families traitors.
He once called Marcos “Pres Bonget” and criticised the hasty approval of the budget of the Office of the President and the appointment of the now resigned Victor Rodriguez as executive secretary. But in his recent shows, he had been warning the president about alleged attempts by Duterte’s camp to take him down.
According to the Southern Police District, Mabasa was shot twice in the head inside his car in Las Pinas City as he was driving home on Monday night.
He was near his residence at San Beda Homes in Barangay Talon Dos when he was attacked.
The police said CCTV footage obtained by investigators showed one of two men on a motorcycle approaching Mabasa’s car and firing at him. Two bullets slammed into his left ear, killing him instantly.
The attack was condemned by journalists, several lawmakers and human rights advocates, who called on the authorities to find the killers and the mastermind.
Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevara said the president was “concerned” about the killing and instructed Malacanang officials to follow up on the police investigation of the ambush on Mabasa. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
