MANILA — The gunman in the fatal ambush of veteran radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, more popularly known as Percy Lapid, has surrendered to police authorities.
On Tuesday, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. confirmed that the 39-year-old suspect, Joel Estorial, turned himself in to the Philippine National Police on Monday “out of fear for personal safety.”
In a news conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Estorial said he surrendered after a wanted poster with his photo was released and aired on television.
“Natakot po ako at saka nakonsensiya po,” he tearfully admitted.
Estorial then confessed that he, along with three other suspects at-large – Israel and Edmon Dimaculangan and a certain “Orlando” – was responsible for the killing of the radioman.
Estorial, 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,” Estorial narrated, baring what “Orlando” told him before they committed the crime.
Asked who gave them the order to kill Lapid, Estorial said: “Galing po sa loob, sa Bilibid po.”
A total of P550,000 was distributed among all the perpetrators behind the broadcaster’s death, he added.
Estorial 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.
Lapid was gunned down at the gate of a Las Piñas City village on Oct. 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. (Beatrice Pinlac, Trisha Manalaysay © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
