The suspected gunman in the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid is now under police custody according to the Metro Manila Police and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos.
“Itong araw na ito ay nais kong ikumpirma na hawak na ang suspek na ang pangalan ay Joel Estorial,” Abalos said in a media briefing.
Abalos said that Estorial surrendered out of fear and made an extrajudicial confession to the authorities. He was from Quezon City.
Abalos also denied that the suspect who surrendered is a fall guy and ballistics recovered at the crime scene and Estorial’s gun matched.
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The DILG chief said that Estorial also identified brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan as the two other suspects in the killing of Lapid. The Dimaculangan brothers remain at large.
The DILG chief also presented the suspect to the media.
“Lumabas na po kasi iyong mukha ko sa TV. Natakot po ako,” Estorial said.
“Ang nagmamaneho po ng motor si Orly po ang nakasakay si Israel. Ang usapan kung sino ang matapat kay Percy siya ang babaril nagkataon po na natapat sa akin. Sabi kapag hindi ko binaril, ako ang papatayin,” he said.
He also apologizes to the family of Lapid.
“Sana po matapawad niyo ako. Di ko naman kagustuhan iyon dala lang po ng kahirapan,” Estorial added.
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Estorial said that someone from Bilibid contacted them to kill Lapid.
The suspect said that they were paid P550,0000 to kill Lapid. It was split into 6 and deposited in their bank accounts.
The government and some of Lapid’s relatives and friends have raised a bounty of some P6.5 million to those who can give information on the killing of the broadcaster.
Lapid was a staunch critic of the Duterte and Marcos administration.
