When the police were able to extract a photo of a suspected gunman of broadcast journalist Percival Mabasa from the closed circuit television (CCTVs), Joel Estorial appeared to have realized that it was only a matter of time before the cops would get him.
After all, the statement of Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos makes sense when he declared that the gunman must surrender before the people who contracted him to kill Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid, reach him first and eventually silence him forever.
What further convince Estorial to surrender was when the police was able to enhance the photo to come up with a more clear image of him--and the stern warning from Metro Manila police chief Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo that he would suffer the same fate as of the hired killer who was gunned down in a police shootout in Quezon City if he continues to play hide and seek with the police hunting him down.
On Monday, Oct. 18, or 15 days after the killing of Mabasa, Estorial decided to surrender with the help of a friend who has a police contact.
"My face was already on television. I was afraid and my conscience was also haunting me for what happened to Percy Lapid," said Estorial when asked by Abalos in a press briefing at Camp Crame.
Estorial also took the opportunity to ask forgiveness from the family of Mabasa.
P550,000 contract
Estorial told reporters that they were paid P550,000 for all of the six who participated in the planning, surveillance and eventually a hit in Mabasa on Oct. 3 in Las Piñas City.
He got P140,000.
Mabasa was driving his car when a white Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) deliberately bumped his car apparently to slow down or put his vehicle to stop before a gunman shot him twice.
According to Estorial, there were six of them and the contract came from someone inside the New Bilibid Prisons.
He said they were contacted to do the hit on Mabasa-- and the payment was eventually given after it was done.
And then he starts singing
After his surrender, Estorial disclosed the identity of three of his accomplices in the killing of Mabasa.
He identified them as brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, and a certain Orly from Batangas.
Estorial said that it was Orly who was driving the motorcycle which was captured in the CCTV footage.
"The agreement was that the one who would be the closest and had the opportunity should be the one to shoot him. I was that person during that time," said Estorial.
Before the hit was done, Estorial said he was warned that he would be killed instead if he would fail to shoot Mabasa dead.
Not a fall guy
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos stressed that Estorial is not a fall guy, adding that he was not even forced when he confessed to the killing of Mabasa.
"The initial report was that he surrendered out of fear of personal safety when his face was already released to the public. So this is a major breakthrough," said Abalos.
Abalos said that Estorial could never be a fall guy since the gun he surrendered matched with the slug that was recovered during the ballistics examination.
He added that the red jacket that was seen being worn by Estorial at the CCTV was recovered although it was already torn into pieces.
"So this is a great police work. There was backtracking and the police, headed by (Police Brigadier) General (Kirby John) Kraft (the director of the Southern Police District) really worked hard," said Abalos.
More questions
Questions, however, remain as to why Mabasa was killed, who ordered the hit and who was that someone from NBP who contracted the group of Estorial.
Abalos did not discuss the motive during the press briefing and instead asked for more time.
"It is difficult to conclude. It is hard to give an opinion because all of these should be evidenced based. This is how important this case is," said Abalos.
Instead, Abalos appealed to the three other alleged cohorts of Estorial to surrender.
Reward
It was not also discussed as to who would receive the P6.5 million reward for any information that could help solve the killing of Mabasa-- P5 million from House Speaker Martin Romualdez, P1 million from businessman Alex Lopez and P500,000 from Abalos.