Suspect faces attempted murder complaint in Lavapiez attack

By Felipe V. Celino

ROXAS CITY, Capiz — Task Force Lavapiez filed a criminal complaint for attempted murder against one of two suspects in the June 22 gun attack on Baskog Radyo station manager Jay Lavapiez.

The complaint was filed Tuesday, July 14, with the Roxas City Prosecutor’s Office.

Maj. Rachelle Garnica, spokesperson for the Capiz Police Provincial Office, declined to identify the suspects to avoid prejudicing the proceedings.

Garnica said the complaint was based on closed-circuit television footage, witness testimony, intelligence reports, forensic and ballistic examinations, and other validated investigative findings.

Under the Justice Department’s 2024 prosecution rules, the city prosecutor will evaluate whether the evidence establishes a prima facie case with a reasonable certainty of conviction before an information may be filed in court.

Lavapiez said in an earlier interview that he had no enemies.

However, his broadcasts have tackled contentious issues involving Sigma Mayor Dante Rizal Eslabon, leading to a series of cyber libel complaints filed in Luzon and Roxas City.

Lavapiez said the cases have also affected his family in Capiz.

Lavapiez, popularly known as Papang Jay, is a 48-year-old broadcaster and station manager of Baskog Radyo.

He escaped injury in the attack.

Lavapiez, a resident of Costa Verde Subdivision in Barangay Cagay, was driving to the radio station at about 5:40 a.m. June 22 when he was attacked.

As he left the subdivision, a gunman who had dismounted from a motorcycle fired at his Mitsubishi Adventure utility vehicle.

Police said at least two people were involved in the attack.

Four bullets fired from a 9 mm pistol struck the vehicle, but none hit Lavapiez.

Following the attack, Police Regional Office 6 formed Task Force Lavapiez as a special investigation team.

Col. Kim Legada, chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, is supervising the investigation.

The team includes personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 6, and the Capiz Police Provincial Office’s Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Unit.

CCTV footage showed that the gunman did not fire additional shots after Lavapiez’s vehicle hit a curb.

Investigators said the gunman might have believed Lavapiez was armed.

Lavapiez and his wife, fellow broadcaster India Lavapiez, also known as Mamang India, have gained supporters and critics through their commentaries.

The couple has also faced several cyber libel complaints.

In an earlier statement, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said the complaints followed the couple’s reports about an allegedly unpermitted cemetery, alleged traffic enforcement irregularities and other allegations involving public officials.

The group said complaints were filed against the broadcasters and their staff in Manila, Muntinlupa and Capiz.

Lavapiez previously worked for a radio network here and in Iloilo.

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security condemned the attack and said it was coordinating with the Philippine National Police Media Security Vanguards in investigating the case.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines also condemned the shooting and called for a swift investigation.