Push Admin

Self-confessed Percy Lapid gunman seeks plea bargain deal to lower possible jail term

Article (news)

Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="SILG Benhur Abalos presents Joel Salve Escorial, the suspected gunman in the Percy Lapid case during a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Oct. 18, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/08/14/20221018-percy-lapid-suspect-md-13.jpg"/><figcaption>SILG Benhur Abalos presents Joel Salve Escorial, the suspected gunman in the Percy Lapid case during a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Oct. 18, 2022. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman in the killing of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, has asked a Las Piñas court to be allowed to plead guilty to the lesser offense of homicide instead of murder, a court document showed.</p><p>“[I]n the interest of justice and for the mutual benefit of the State and the accused, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court to allow accused Joel Escorial y Salve to enter into plea bargaining to lesser offense of homicide,” read his motion to plea-bargain, filed through his lawyer from the Public Attorney’s Office. </p><p>Escorial is facing a murder charge before the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 254 over Lapid’s death, along with former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and several others.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/14/23/bantag-others-indicted-over-lapid-villamor-slay">Bantag, others indicted over Lapid-Villamor murder</a></li></ul><p>Three of his co-accused, all gang leaders from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) where the killing was allegedly planned, had pleaded guilty as accessories to murder. They were sentenced to up to 8 years in prison.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/23/23/3-bilibid-gang-leaders-plead-guilty-to-helping-percy-lapid-slay">3 Bilibid gang leaders plead guilty to helping Lapid&#x27;s murder; sentenced up to 8 yrs</a></li></ul><p>Bantag and his deputy, Ricardo Zulueta, remain at large.</p><p>They have filed a petition before the Court of Appeals challenging the DOJ prosecutor’s resolution indicting them for murder.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/08/23/bantag-questions-doj-indictment-before-ca">‘No direct link:’ Bantag questions DOJ indictment before CA</a></li></ul><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/08/14/1.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/08/14/2.jpg"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>The self-confessed gunman in the killing of Percy Lapid has asked a Las Piñas court to be allowed to plead guilty to lesser offense of homicide, instead of murder. <cite>Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>The self-confessed gunman in the killing of Percy Lapid has asked a Las Piñas court to be allowed to plead guilty to lesser offense of homicide, instead of murder. <cite>Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div></div></div><p>Lapid was shot dead outside his subdivision in Las Piñas on the night of October 3, 2022.</p><p>Escorial surrendered to the police a few days later, after his face, captured through a surveillance footage, was shown on nationwide television.</p><p>He said he was with 3 other accomplices when he shot Lapid. The order to kill him allegedly came from inside the NBP.</p><p>Escorial divulged he and his companions were given P550,000 for the hit, with P140,000 going to his bank account.</p><p>He was presented to the media on October 18, where he identified a Bilibid inmate, Jun Villamor, as an alleged middleman.</p><p>Villamor would be killed a few hours later, allegedly suffocated through a plastic bag by gang members. </p><p>Bantag and others have also been charged for his murder.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5lbWxjnJgmE?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div><strong>IMPLICATIONS, REACTIONS</strong></div><p>Escorial’s motion to plea-bargain will still have to be approved by the court and the prosecution.</p><p>If approved, Escorial could see his jail term reduced by half — just 20 years maximum for homicide instead of up to 40 years for murder.</p><p>Reacting to the latest development, Lapid’s brother, Roy Mabasa, said they were studying the motion.</p><p>“Our lawyers are looking at it very closely. Although there is a question of whether he will qualify or not, we will see how it will go. For us, justice is when the mastermind/s are put behind bars,” he told ABS-CBN News in a text message.</p><p>Mabasa, who attended a hearing at Las Piñas RTC Monday morning, said Escorial also asked the court that he be imprisoned at a BuCor facility in Samar citing security concerns at the NBP.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uKHMq7EKVS0?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GHPAFByDr48?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The self-confessed gunman in the killing of Percy Lapid has asked a court to be allowed to plead guilty to the lesser offense of homicide. 

Self-confessed Percy Lapid gunman seeks plea bargain deal to lower possible jail term

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

Self-confessed Percy Lapid gunman seeks plea bargain deal to lower possible jail term

Mike Navallo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 14, 2023 03:52 PM PHT

Read More:

Joel Escorial

gunman

Percy Lapid

plea deal

crime

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.