THE self-confessed gunman of broadcaster Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa was sentenced to a maximum of 16 years imprisonment by a Las Piñas Regional Trial Court on Monday.

The family is thankful for the conviction of Joel Escorial as an accessory to murder.

"We honor the slain journalist by entrusting everything to God, yet our quest for justice will persist until all the masterminds are imprisoned," Roy, brother of Mabasa, said in his message to the media.

He said they will also continue to pursue the charges and monitor leads against the alleged masterminds in the killing.

Escorial will remain at the Philippine National Police custodial center following his offer to cooperate with the prosecution.

The government's primary suspect in the case, former Bureau of Corrections director general Gerald Bantag, remains at large.

Mabasa, 63, had come out with exposés on Bantag's alleged illegal activities before he was gunned down on Oct. 3, 2022 near his residence.