The gunman in the Oct. 3 killing of broadcast journalist Percival Mabasa, also know as Percy Lapid, is already under police custody, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Benhur Abalos announced on Tuesday, Oct. 18.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Abalos said Joel Estorial surrendered to the police due to fear for personal safety after his photo that was extracted from the CCTV was enhanced and released to the public.
Estorial was presented to the media in a press briefing where he revealed that the order to kill Mabasa came from an inmate inside the New Bilibid Prisons.
He also identified three of his cohorts as brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, and a certain Orly from Batangas.
Estorial disclosed that there were three of them who were sent to kill Mabasa.
He said that the agreement was that whoever was the closest and had the opportunity to shoot Mabasa must do the hit.
He said that he shot Mabasa since he had that opportunity.
Estorial said that there was a threat on him that he would be killed if he would fail to liquidate Mabasa.