Broadcaster Percy Lapid’s killer gets 8 to 16 years of prison term

Percival Mabasa, who was popularly known as Percy Lapid, was killed in an ambush in Las Piñas on Monday night, October 3, 2022. (File photo from his Facebook page)

MANILA CITY, Philippines — The confessed gunman in the killing of radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa has been sentenced to a jail term of eight to sixteen years, a year after pleading guilty to a lesser offense of homicide, instead of murder.

Journalist Roy Mabasa, Lapid’s brother, confirmed the order of Las Piñas City RTC Branch 254 Presiding Judge Harold Cesar Huliganga imposing a penalty of eight years and eight months up to 16 years imprisonment for Joel Escorial.

Escorial was charged with murder together with former BuCor chief Gerald Bantag and Bantag’s deputy, Ricardo Zulueta.

He surrendered to the authorities, admitted to the killing and identified other persons involved.

READ: Confessed gunman in Percy Lapid slay seeks plea deal to lessen case to homicide

Last year, Bilibid convicts Alvin Galicia, Aldrin Galicia and Alfie Peñaredonda were sentenced by the Las Pinas City court from two to eight years imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to acting as accessories in Lapid’s killing.

READ: 2-8 years of jail given to gang leaders involved in Percy Lapid’s slay

Meanwhile, the court ordered the counsel for co-accused Ricardo Zulueta to respond to the prosecution’s request for a DNA test on his body.

READ: A defendant in the Percy Lapid murder case dies – PNP

Zulueta died in March this year due to heart failure. He was in Bataan.