Confessed gunman in Percy Lapid killing surrenders, tags 3 other suspects

MANILA, Philippines — The gunman in the fatal ambush of veteran radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, more popularly known as Percy Lapid, has surrendered to police authorities.

In a news conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. confirmed that 39-year-old suspect Joel Escorial turned himself in to the Philippine National Police “out of fear for personal safety.”

He said Escorial is under the custody of the police and has since executed an extrajudicial affidavit with the assistance of a lawyer.

Abalos also ascertained that Escorial was not a “fall guy” as he pointed out that the empty slugs recovered from the crime scene matched the suspect’s gun.

A ripped-up jacket was also found with the supposed hitman, he noted. A CCTV footage of the night of the murder that was released by authorities few weeks ago shows a “person of interest” wearing such jacket.

Escorial, who supposedly surrendered to the police on Monday, was presented by Abalos to the media. He said he submitted himself to authorities after seeing a wanted poster with his photo released and aired on television.

“Natakot po ako at saka nakonsensiya po (I got scared and felt guilty),” he tearfully admitted.

Escorial then confessed that he, along with three other suspects at large – Israel and Edmon Dimaculangan and a certain “Orlando” or “Orly,” was responsible for the killing of the radioman.

Escorial, however, noted that he did not know of the surname of “Orlando,” who was the one driving the motorcycle during the incident.

“Iyong usapan, kung sino po ang matapat kay Percy po, siya po ang babaril. Nagkataon po natapat sa akin. Sabi ko naman po, kung hindi ko binaril, ako po ang papatayin kaya nga, binaril ko na po si Percy,” Escorial narrated, baring what Orly allegedly told him before they committed the crime.

(Our agreement was: Whoever would be stationed closest to Percy would be the one to shoot him and that happened to be me. They told me that if I didn’t shoot Percy then, I would be killed so I shot him.)

Asked who gave them the order to kill Lapid, Escorial said: “Galing po sa loob, sa Bilibid po (Someone from inside the Bilibid Prison.)”

A total of P550,000 was distributed among all the perpetrators behind the broadcaster’s death, he added.

Escorial also sought the forgiveness of Lapid’s bereaved family.

“Sana po mapatawad po niyo ako. Hindi ko naman po kagustuhan iyon. Nadala lang po ako,” he pleaded in tears.

(I hope you can forgive me. I really didn’t want this to happen. I just got involved in this.)

Lapid was gunned down at the gate of a Las Piñas City village on October 3, Monday.

He hosted a radio news program, “Lapid Fire” on DWBL 1242, where he was known for his hard-hitting criticisms of the government.

Lapid is the second journalist killed under the Marcos administration, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

The first was radio host Rey Blanco, stabbed to death in Negros Oriental last September.

—WITH A REPORT FROM TRISHA MANALAYSAY (TRAINEE)

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