THE self-confessed gunman in the October 2022 killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa was found guilty yesterday by the Las Piñas City regional trial court for his role in the case and sentenced to suffer from eight years to 16 years in prison.
Joel Escorial was convicted of the lesser offense of accessory to murder after he agreed to cooperate with the prosecution, according to Roy Mabasa, younger brother of the slain broadcaster.
He said Las Piñas RTC Branch 254 Judge Cesar Huliganga sentenced Escorial “from eight years and eight months up to 16 years or reclusion temporal.”
He also said the Mabasa family will not rest until all those involved in the killing are brought to justice.
Mabasa said that as part of the plea deal, Escorial will temporarily remain at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame because he will still serve as prosecution witness against Christopher Bacoto, another suspect in the case.
To recall, Huliganga last year ordered the transfer of Escorial from Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City to the PNP Custodial Center.
Escorial surfaced in October 2022 and confessed he shot Lapid dead, together with his and cohorts, brothers Israel and Edmon Dimaculangan, and one alias Orly.
They were indicted before the Las Piñas RTC as “principals by direct participation” in the killing of Lapid while former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and his deputy, Ricardo Zulueta, were charged as “principals by inducement.”
Bantag remained at large, with a P2-million reward on his head. Zulueta died last March in Bataan. The PNP said he succumbed to cerebrovascular disease intracranial hemorrhage.”
Several prisoners in the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa were also accused as “principals by indispensable cooperation” in Lapid’s killing.
Escorial said Bilibid inmate Cristito Palana Villamor alias Jun Villamor acted as the middleman and contacted him to do the hit on Lapid.
Villamor was later killed inside the national penitentiary in what Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said was meant to prevent him from spilling the beans on the mastermind behind Lapid’s murder.
