It’s been almost two years since hard-hitting broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa was brutally killed in Las Piñas in 2022. He was driving when motorcycle-riding assailants rained fire on his vehicle.
Lapid’s untimely death triggered a massive uproar as he was the second journalist killed under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He was also a staunch critic of both Marcos and former president Rodrigo Duterte.
His killing opened a can of worms – it exposed anew the problems in the country’s prison system because persons deprived of liberty (PDL) were implicated in his assassination.
Fast forward to 2024, the long-term impact on prisons of Lapid’s killing was highlighted as it triggered a change in the country’s prison system.
How it started
Shortly after Lapid’s death, a PDL named Jun Villamor was revealed as the alleged middleman who contacted people to order the broadcaster’s assassination. But while the probe was ongoing to identify other people behind the alleged crime, Villamor died inside the New Bilibid Prison.
At first, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which autopsied the PDL’s body, said there was “no apparent sign of external physical injury.” But when forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun reexamined him, she discovered that Villamor died of suffocation after a plastic bag was put over his head. Fortun was able to autopsy Villamor’s remains after Department of Justice (DOJ) chief Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla reached out to her.
This was the first time the DOJ reached out to Fortun to examine a PDL’s body. The forensic pathologist is known for examining the remains of drug war victims.
“We did find some answers and we [have] uncovered anomalies in the Bilibid. And so that was how it started, in October of 2022, and ever since, we had been receiving cases for autopsy,” Fortun said on July 11.
While working on the Villamor case, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) made another discovery. BuCor accidentally retrieved 176 bodies of Bilibid PDLs from Eastern Funeral Homes, where Villamor’s body was sent after he died.
Just like Villamor, Remulla later announced that the other cadavers would be sent to Fortun for examination, and for her to determine the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Lapid’s impact
On July 11, the DOJ signed an agreement with the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila to improve the investigation into deaths of PDLs inside prisons. Through the agreement, the DOJ and UP Manila formalized its partnership in determining the real causes of PDL deaths.
Before, PDLs who died inside penitential facilities of BuCor would go straight to funeral homes, where they would be embalmed and prepared for burial. This created a problem because the circumstances surrounding the PDLs’ deaths could not be determined, and consequently, if they needed to undergo autopsy.
But now, given the agreement between the DOJ and UP Manila, PDLs’ dead bodies will have to undergo autopsy first before they are sent to funeral homes. Whether or not foul play is suspected, BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang said all PDLs’ remains from their facilities will be sent to experts for post-mortem examination.
“Any death in these places [like prisons] requires a forensic investigation. It’s a health concern,” Fortun explained. “There must be dignity in death.”
Another importance of examining PDLs’ bodies is it would be able to determine if there are preventable deaths in prisons. By examining the remains, experts can check for trends in the real causes behind deaths, allowing corrections officials to use findings to address the problem and prevent more deaths.
“I don’t have the numbers yet, but unfortunately, we are seeing a lot of tuberculosis. And that’s very telling in jail…And I was telling General Catapang earlier, if there is tuberculosis among the PDLs, your workers are just as exposed,” Fortun explained.
Why this matters
For the Lapid family, the broadcaster’s death has had some impact on the country’s prison system.
“That’s among the legacies left by Ka Percy. In fact, before he was killed, during the pandemic, he discussed the high profile PDLs who allegedly died of COVID-19. He called for their autopsy. Unfortunately, he was not able to see that happening,” Roy Mabasa, Lapid’s brother, told Rappler in Filipino.
“At least, even in his death, there are people who will benefit from his sacrifices,” Mabasa added.
The BuCor recorded a total of 4,636 deaths in prisons from 2020 to June 2024. Most deaths were recorded in 2020 and 2021 – 1,182 and 1,166 respectively – which occurred at the height of the pandemic. There have been 487 deaths from this year alone.
Bilibid, the Philippines’ national penitentiary, also suffers from a staggering congestion rate of 377% or 30,701 PDLs cramming into a facility meant only for 6,345. This condition, on top of other problems like low budget for food and medicine, causes sickness among PDLs.
The examination of the PDLs’ remains is among the first steps to improve the harrowing conditions inside prisons. After all, prisoners still have rights even when detained. The United Nations’ Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners suggest proper treatment of PDLs, which includes the presence of appropriate medical services to ensure their health and welfare. – Rappler.com