Suspect in block timer’s murder yields
Contract-killer claims he 'fears' for his safety as reason for surrender
THE gunman who allegedly shot dead radio block timer Percy Lapid in Las Piñas City last October 3, 2022, has surrendered but solving the incident by unmasking the ‘brains’ behind the contract killing remains uncertain.
At a press conference last October 18, 2022, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos presented to the media one ‘Joel Escorial’ 39, a native of Leyte province but residing in Quezon City.
Escorial allegedly decided to surrender the day before “for fear of his life” after video footages of the incident released by the authorities purportedly made him realized he would soon be unmasked.
Escorial also named 3 of his alleged accomplices as one alias ‘Orly/Orlando’ and brothers ‘Edmon’ and ‘Israel Dimaculangan,’ purportedly Lapid’s neighbors in Las Piñas City. He said their group consisted of 6 persons but he failed to name the other two
or, this was deliberately left out by the police in their public pronouncements.
Escorial said it was ‘Orly’ who was riding in tandem with him on a motorcycle the night he shot Lapid.
Although not allowed to directly be questioned by the media, Escorial said they received instruction to kill Lapid from an inmate at the “Bilibid,” referring to the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
Escorial said they were paid P550,000 for the murder of which he received P140,000 as his share thru a bank deposit at his account after the murder.
Roy Mabasa, brother of Lapid and who is also a newsman, on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, filed murder charges against the suspects before the Department of Justice (DOJ) based on the confessions of Escorial.
DOJ secretary, Jesus Crispin Remulla, for his part, has already directed Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general, Gerald Bantag, to investigate the claim of Escorial and submit a report to him posthaste.
The BuCor, which supervises the NBP, is under the DOJ.
P/Gen. Rodel Sermonia, deputy director for administration of the Philippine National Police expressed doubt if the “middle-man” who gave the kill-order against Lapid is actually incarcerated at the NBP.
He confirmed, however, that the still mysterious middle-man is presently behind bars on drug-related charges but is yet to be convicted. He did not divulge in what jail facility the suspect is presently locked in.
The NBP only houses criminals who have been convicted by the courts for their crimes.
Investigators are now also looking at the CCTV footages of the bank of Escorial and claimed to have footages of the person who deposited his share of the money for the killing of Lapid but stopped giving out other details of their ongoing investigation.
The PNP believes it is getting closer into finally identifying the brains behind Lapid’s killing.
But until the name or names of who ordered and paid for his murder come out, everyone would have to continue the guessing game that has revolved around his death.
