LIPA City – ONE of the suspects in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid killed himself after releasing his live-in partner and their child he took in hostage, the police said.
National Capital Region Police Office chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said Jake Mendoza, a.k.a. Orly, 40-years old, Baco town in Oriental Mindoro province held in hostage his live-in partner and their child during the service of warrant in a rented house located at Purok 4, Brgy. Lumbang, this city.
Mendoza is one of the suspects in the killing of Percy Lapid who was shot dead while driving home in BF Homes Subdivision in the City of Las Pinas from his radio program in the morning of October 3, 2022.
“Hindi sya sumuko. Nakipag-negotiate tayo hanggang umabot ng alas kwatro ng madaling araw (He didn’t surrender. We negotiated until four in the morning),” said Major General Nartatez.
The police officer further said that a cousin of Mendoza and a police negotiator had a conversation with Mendoza and that the latter released his live-in partner and their child. But he went inside the bathroom and shot himself dead in front of his cousin and the police negotiator.
Mendoza was previously arrested in November 2020 and served time in jail due to charges related to illegal drugs.
Upon being implicated in the killing of Lapid as accomplice, the police created a manhunt operation six months ago after they gathered reliable information. But according to the NCRPO, it took three months before Mendoza was located.
The manhunt operation also intends to arrest the Dimaculangan brothers who were reportedly spotted with Mendoza before in Batangas.
“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 said.
It can be recalled that last May 2024, the Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court have sentenced for 16 years in jail one Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman of Lapid.
Escorial surrendered on Oct. 17, 2022 and named Bilibid inmate Jun Villamor as his recruiter. On Oct. 18, 2022, Villamor was killed inside his cell, allegedly to silence him.| – KN/BNN News Team
