Incarcerated individual pleads guilty to lesser offense in radio broadcaster’s killing
An individual deprived of liberty (PDL) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City has pleaded guilty to a lesser offense in the October 3, 2022 killing of radio broadcaster Percival C. Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid.
As a result of this guilty plea, PDL Denver Mayores was sentenced to a prison term ranging from two to eight years by Las Pinas City regional trial court (RTC) Judge Harold Hulinganga.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has acknowledged Mayores’ involvement in the murder of Lapid, a conspiracy which also involved former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta.
In addition to Mayores, three other PDLs at NBP have been convicted as accessories in Lapid’s killing. They have been identified as Aldrin Galicia, Alvin Labra, and Alfie Peñaredonda. These individuals were also found guilty as accessories in Lapid’s murder, as well as in the killing of fellow PDL Cristito Villamor Palana.
The DOJ stated that these convictions are a significant step in their pursuit of justice in the high-profile murders of Lapid and Villamor, and emphasized their commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring a thorough and fair legal process in these cases.
The ongoing legal proceedings include the case against Joel Escorial, the alleged gunman in the killing of Percy Lapid. Escorial is seeking to reduce his sentence and be transferred to Abuyog prison in Leyte before making his plea, with his case expected to be promulgated in February 2024.
Percival C. Mabasa was gunned down in Las Pinas City on Oct. 3, 2022, and Cristito Villamor Palana died at the NBP due to suffocation on Oct. 18 of the same year.
Both Bantag and Zulueta remain at large despite warrants of arrest being issued by both the Las Pinas City and Muntinlupa City RTCs.
