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Percy Lapid 'gunman' to be acquitted if made state witness, says law expert

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Michael Joe Delizo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial appears before the media on Oct. 18, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/10/18/20221018-abalos-lapid-suspect-estorial-md3.jpg"/><figcaption>Self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial appears before the media on Oct. 18, 2022. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman in the Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa slay case, will be acquitted if he becomes a state witness, a law expert said Sunday.</p><p>Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) National President Burt Estrada said it is an option for the prosecution to have the accused be discharged by court to be a state witness and use his or her testinomy to solve a crime.</p><p>&quot;Pag pinayagan ng korte ay siya’y madi-discharge at ito’y equivalent na sa isang acquittal kung siya’y magte-testify talaga mamaya ‘pag tatawagin na siya ng korte upang ibigay ang kanyang testimonya ukol sa kung anong alam niya doon sa kaso,&quot; Estrada said.</p><p>&quot;Kung halimbawa, papasa siya doon sa mga requirements. Isa pala sa additional requirements doon is hindi siya ‘yung pinaka-guilty, he’s not the most guilty sa mga akusado at hindi pa siya convicted ng crime involving moral turpitude kasi that would mean na maaaring siya ma-acquit kahit na aaminin niya [na] meron siyang kasalanang ginawa pero dahil siya ay &#x27;least guilty&#x27; at may ituturo siya na mas guilty doon sa crime at ang testimonya niya lang ang maaaring makapag-prove.&quot;</p><p>Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin &quot;Boying&quot; Remulla earlier said it is possible that Escorial could end up as a state witness if he provides vital information that could lead to the identification of the mastermind in the killing of Lapid.</p><p>Meanwhile, Estrada said Mabasa’s family can also file a motion to the court for an independent autopsy on the body of Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/20/22/bilibid-detained-middleman-in-percy-lapid-slay-dies-doj">Alleged &#x27;middleman&#x27; in Percy Lapid slay dies in Bilibid: DOJ chief</a></li></ul><p>“Whether on not maga-grant ng korte ay nasa discretion po ‘yun ng korte if it’s really essential doon sa kaso na pending,” he said.</p><p>An autopsy conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Villamor&#x27;s remains showed no gunshot wound or any external physical injury on the deceased Bilibid inmate, instead pointing to a possible heart problem.</p><p>Villamor’s death became controversial because he died hours after he was identified as the middleman.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/22/22/pagdurugo-sa-puso-ng-middleman-sa-percy-lapid-slay-nakita-sa-autopsy">Pagdurugo sa puso ng umano&#x27;y middleman sa Percy Lapid slay, nakita sa autopsy</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/22/22/no-gunshot-wound-covid-nbi-autopsy-on-percy-lapid-middleman">NBI autopsy on alleged middleman in Percy Lapid killing — No gunshot wound, no COVID; possible heart problem</a></li></ul><p>Forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun earlier told ANC that there could be a legal issue on the request of the Mabasa family for an idependent autopsy.</p><p>“Wouldn’t you consider NBI as an independent party? Why would you want request for an independent investigation in the first place if, automatically as I said, there is already an objective, impartial, independent investigation that comes in?” she said.</p><p>“What right do they have to ask for one? Because again, the present scenario in the Philippines is you need the next of kin to consent to that procedure.”</p><p>For his part, Mabasa family legal counsel Berteni “Toto” Causing said the family is willing to make Escorial a state witness to unmask the mastermind.</p><p>“Walang problema. Okay, willing kami [na] tanggapin siya basta it will lead to testimony against the mastermind, the identification of the mastermind,” said Causing.</p><p>Escorial will then be under the government’s Witness Protection Program, according to Causing.</p><p>He added that there is no law that states that only the immediate family can request for autopsy, specially if it is in the interest of justice and national concern.</p><p>“The overriding interest here is the demand for justice,” he said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2303586" width="100%"></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>

Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman in the Percy Lapid slay case, will be acquitted if he becomes a state witness, a law expert said.

Percy Lapid 'gunman' to be acquitted if made state witness, says law expert

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Percy Lapid 'gunman' to be acquitted if made state witness, says law expert

Michael Joe Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 23, 2022 03:33 PM PHT

Read More:

Joel Escorial

Percy Lapid

Percival Mabasa

murder

killing

police

crime

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