Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla ordered the preventive suspension of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag after the alleged middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid died Thursday at the New Bilibid Prisons.

In a report, dzBB said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave the order to Remulla. Remulla said Gregorio Catapang Jr will become Officer-in-Charge Director General of BuCor.

On Tuesday, the reported gunman who shot Lapid told a press conference that he was ordered by someone in Bilibid to kill the broadcaster.

The broker was found dead on the afternoon of the same day but officials announced the death on Thursday.

Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia said Joel Escorial, the alleged gunman of Lapid, gave a name of the ''middleman'' which is not in the list of the Bureau of Corrections.

The PNP was looking for a certain Crisanto Villamor Jr., while the

inmate who died was Jun Villamor.

BuCor deputy director for administration Gabriel Chaclag told GMA News said they have two inmates with the same surname: Jun Villamor and Jose Villamor.

Chaclag said they secured Jose Villamor as a precaution. Lapid is the second journalist to die under the Marcos administration. DMS