By Nikolai Ordoña

The suspected gunman in the shooting of veteran broadcaster Percy Lapid has given himself up and is now under police custody, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)  announced on Tuesday, October 18. 

In a press briefing held at the National Capital Region Police Office, DILG Sec. Benjamin Abalos Jr. presented Joel Salve Escoria —the 39-year-old man who claimed to be the shooter. 

Escorial voluntarily surrendered to the authorities “out of fear for personal safety”, after a P6.5-million bounty was placed on his head.

“Lumabas na po iyong mukha ko sa TV po… Natakot po ako saka nakonsensya po sa paggawa (ng gano’n) kay Percy Lapid,” he stated.

The suspect issued an extrajudicial confession with assistance by his legal counsel, where he revealed three accomplices in the crime: siblings Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, and a certain person known as “Orly” or “Orlando”. 

The gunman also revealed that someone inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City paid them Php 550,000 in total for the crime, with Php 140,000 as his cut.

Fall guy?

To dispel doubts on the suspect, Sec. Abalos assured the public that Escorial is not a fall guy, citing pieces of evidence such as the ballistics in the crime scene that matched the gun found with Escorial and the clothes he wore during the night of the killing, as caught on CCTV.

Roy Mabasa, brother of the slain broadcaster, was also initially skeptical but was later “partially” convinced after a “walkthrough” was conducted at the crime scene, with the suspect recounting the events leading to the killing.

“Maganda ‘yung kinalabasan ng aking confrontation with the suspect. In fact, I think he will cooperate with us,” Mabasa stated.

A murder complaint against Escorial and the three named people of interest was filed before the Department of Justice.

Percival Mabasa, more known as Percy Lapid, was a commentator on the DWBL radio station and a critic of both the Duterte and Marcos Jr. administrations. He was shot dead by an assailant riding a motorcycle last October 3 while on his way home in BF Resort Village, Las Piñas City.

Thumbnail from Joey Razon from pna.gov.ph