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Gunman in Percy Lapid killing seeks to plead guilty to lesser offense of homicide instead of murder
Gunman in Percy Lapid killing seeks to plead guilty to lesser offense of homicide instead of murder
The self-confessed gunman in the Oct. 3, 2022 killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” C. Mabasa asked the Las Pinas City regional trial court (RTC) to allow him to plea bargain that would downgrade the murder charge filed against him to a lesser crime of homicide.
Joel S. Escorial, who admitted shooting Mabasa, filed a motion to plea bargain. He was assisted by lawyer Nikki A. Garcia of the Public Attorney’s Office.
Plea bargaining is a negotiation between the prosecutor and the accused in a criminal case whereby the accused pleads guilty to a lesser offense for a lesser penalty.
Murder is a non-bailable offense that has a penalty of 20 years and one day to 40 years imprisonment. Homicide, on the other hand, has a jail term ranging from 12 years and one day to 20 years.
Escorial’s motion to plea bargain was filed before the RTC on Monday, Aug. 14.
“The accused would like to seek the indulgence of the Honorable Court to allow him the opportunity to open the table for plea bargaining as regards to the plausibility of availing the same,” Escorial’s motion stated.
PAO’s Atty. Garcia to the RTC that she conferred with Escorial and informed him of his right to plea bargain.
“He (Escorial) consented to plead guilty to the lesser offense of homicide under the Revised Penal Code,” she said.
Commenting on Escorial’s motion, veteran journalist and Percy Lapid’s brother Roy Mabasa said: “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,” he added.
He added that justice will be attained in the slaying of his brother “when the mastermind/s are put behind bars.”
Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Q. Bantag has been identified as the mastermind in the killing and is the co-accused of Escorial.
Despite the arrest order issued by the Las Pinas City RTC, Bantag has remained at large together with his co-accused, former BuCor deputy security officer Ricardo S. Zulueta.
Earlier, the RTC had accepted the plea to a lesser offense of accessories to murder filed by three other accused – Aldrin Galicia, Alvin Labra and Alfie Penaredonda – persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
With their plea bargain, the three NBP PDLs were sentenced to two years up to eight years imprisonment in the Percy Lapid slaying.