Percy Lapid killing

The Anti-Terrorism Council issues a resolution designating Negros Oriental Rep. Arnulfo Teves and his armed group as terrorists, calls them “Teves Terrorist Group.”

It also tags former Negros Oriental Gov. Pryde Henry Teves and eleven others as terrorists.

Prosecutors of the Department of Justice indict former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag with another criminal case — this time for grave coercion for allegedly forcing a jail guard to deny that there was a shooting incident inside New Bilibid Prison in March 2020.

Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206 issues hold departure order vs ex-BuCor chief Gerald Bantag, Ricardo Zulueta.

The court is handling the murder case over killing of Bilibid inmate Jun Villamor, believed to be the middleman in Percy Lapid slay. — Kristine Joy Patag

A Muntinlupa court issued an arrest warrant for former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag over the murder of the alleged middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid.

JUST IN: Muntinlupa RTC Branch 206 issues warrant of arrest against ex-BuCor chief Gerald Bantag and Ricardo Zulueta for murder of inmate Jun Villamor, believed to be the middleman in the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid. @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/vA8pxwlF0b

— Kristine Patag (@kristinepatag) April 12, 2023

The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 also ordered the arrest of former BuCor deputy for security Ricardo Zulueta over the same offense.

The Department of Justice says charges have been filed in court over the killings of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and alleged middleman in the case, inmate Jun Villamor.

DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano says the Information or charge sheet for murder of Lapid was filed on March 14 before the Las Piñas court, while the murder charge for Villamor's killing was filed on March 13 before Muntinlupa courts.

The courts will then determine if warrants of arrest will be issued against the accused.

For full story on the indictment, click here. 

The Department of Justice has indicted suspended corrections chief Gerald Bantag, deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta and several others on a murder complaint over the deaths of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman for the attack on Lapid. 

Suspended corrections chief Gerald Bantag files his counter-affidavit defense of the murder allegation against him over the killings of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and inmate Jun Villamor.

"I vehemently deny all allegations agianst me," he says in his counter-affidavit filed before the DOJ prosecution panel.

Suspended corrections chief Gerald Bantag has attended the preliminary investigation proceedings at the Department of Justice earlier Monday, a briefer from the prosecution panel says.

Bantag is accused of being the brains behind the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and middleman Jun Villamor, a Bilibid inmate

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie Guhit adds Bantag filed a motion for inhibition and complainants were given seven days to submit their comment, after which the motion shall be resolved.

“Accordingly, the submission of counter-affidavit of respondent Bantag shall be held in abeyance pending the resolution of the motion for inhibition. The continuation of the preliminary investigation will be dependent on the resolution on the motion for inhibition,”  the statement reads.

The Department of Justice holds preliminary investigation into the murder complaints over the killings of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and middleman Jun Villamor.

In a News5 tweet report, Roy Mabasa — brother of Lapid, whose real name is Percival Mabasa — says they are hopeful that even if suspended corrections chief Gerald Bantag will not show up today, proceedings will continue and justice will be given.

Bantag is tagged as the brains behind the killings. — with report from News5/Marlene Alcaide

Dumating na si Roy Mabasa, kapatid ng radio broadcaster na si Percy Lapid, sa Department of Justice para sa preliminary investigation kaugnay sa kaso ng pagpatay kay Lapid at sa middleman na si Jun Villamor, November 23. #News5 | via Marlene Alcaide pic.twitter.com/6W04W9wqa7

— News5 (@News5PH) November 23, 2022

Suspended corrections’ chief Gerald Bantag, through his lawyer Rocky Balisong, has received his subpoena for the set preliminary investigation into the murder raps over the deaths of Percy Lapid and Jun Villamor, News5 reports.

A lawyer says suspended Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag has not received any summons from the justice department, which is moving forward in murder complaints filed against him and others implicated in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid in October.

Lawyer Rocky Thomas Balisong says his client has has not gotten hold of any subpoena from the Department of Justice, which, according to the counsel and concurrent spokesman of Bantag, they will answer in dispatch as long as it is received. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao

Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie Guhit, one of the fiscals handling the murder complaints over Percy Lapid killing, says the subpoena for suspended corrections chief Gerald Bantag was served to his last known address in Caloocan.

Guhit however says the barangay captain has told the process server that the bureau official has not been staying in the city since he was appointed to BuCor.

CNN Philippines reports that Bantag’s lawyer says they are ready to receive the subpoena in Baguio City.

Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento says the separate murder complaints filed over the killings of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and inmate Jun Villamor — alleged middleman in the former’s case — have been consolidated with the earlier filed Lapid case.

Deputy State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas leads the three-member panel of prosecutors that will handle the complaints. She is joined by Senior Assistant State Prosecutors Josie Christina Dugay and Charlie Guhit, Malcontento adds.

No date has been set yet on the start of the preliminary investigation.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla says he believes BuCor official Gerald Bantag, tagged as principal respondent in the murder raps in the Percy Lapid and Jun Villamor cases, is still in the Philippines.

At an ambush interview at the sidelines of the celebration of the National Bureau of Investigation anniversary, Remulla points out Bantag is a government official. “You cannot leave the Philippines if you do not have a travel authority. Unless they secured passports that did not reflect their true professions,” he adds.

Remulla urges Bantag to file a counter-affidavit before the prosecutors and not send their response through the media. “Alagad sila ng batas tapos ganyan sila magsalita di ba? Walang drama-drama. Face it like a man,” the DOJ chief adds.

BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag and Ricardo Zulueta, another bureau official, are behind the killings of broadcaster Percy Lapid and middleman Jun Villamor.

The two has been named as respondents in the murder complaints filed by authorities on Monday, National Bureau of Investigation lawyer Eugene Javier.

Bantag is currently serving preventive suspension following the investigation.

Bantag has clear motives, Javier says: Continued exposés in the Lapid’s radio show and on killing of Villamor, the attempt to cover up the murder of Lapid.

The Departments of Justice and of the Interior and Local Government hold a joint press conference on the filing of murder complaints over the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and the death of inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the Lapid case.

Also attending the press conference are officials of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police.

Dr. Raquel Fortun finds that Villamor "died from suffocation by means of plastic bag over his head." She says this is a case of homicide. — Xave Gregorio

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla tells reporters that investigation has so far been “very satisfactory” and they hope to file complaints over the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid next week.

Asked if it is possible that the mastermind has been identified already, Remulla says: “Very possible.”

“We’ll have to evaluate everything properly pa,” he adds.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros says she has turned over the audio recording of the cellphone call and screenshots of text messages where unknown persons are threatening the Mabasas to PGen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.

“I trust that our law enforcers can make full use of these pieces of evidence to ensure a thorough investigation of the harassment and threats received by the Mabasa family as well as the murder of Percy itself,” Hontiveros adds.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla says they are also looking into the death of inmate Jun Villamor, alleged middleman in the killing of Percy Lapid, as a “possible murder case.”

“We are also investigating that… it’s our obligation to do that,” he adds in a chance interview with reporters on Thursday.

Forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun has finished conducting a second autopsy on the body of Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of Percy Lapid, News 5 reports.

It adds that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that Fortun will release her findings on Friday, October 28.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros in a press conference on Wednesday presents an audio recording of threats made to the family of slain radio broadcaster Percy Lapid.

News5 reports was supposedly made on October 22, where an unknown caller, supposedly an inmate from the New Bilibid Prison pointed out Bureau of Corrections Director-General Gerald Bantag as involved in the killing.

Bantag, who is currently under preventive suspension, earlier said in a DZRH interview that he did not know anything about the passing of Villamor.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. says he told investigators of the death of the alleged middleman Jun Villamor to look more thoroughly into the case as he ordered continued probe into the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid.

“I am still not satisfied that it was natural causes so I said it look into it better because there are ways to kill a person that do not show up in the medico-legal [report],” he adds in chance interview on Wednesday.

He also says investigation continues to determine who gave the orders to kill Lapid.

Forensic pathologist Racquel Fortun calls the NBI autopsy report on Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of Percy Lapid, as something more of an “office communication” than a technical report.

She points out that there was nothing in the report that refers to the autopsy, and that the body was already embalmed by October 18. “Two days after death, already embalmed, there’s still risk of COVID?”

Upon President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s instructions, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla preventively suspends Bureau of Correction Director General Gerald Bantag. Ex-AFP chief of staff Gregorio Catapang Jr. is named as OIC. — Xave Gregorio

Bureau of Corrections spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag says inmate Jun Villamor was pronounced dead at the New Bilibid Prison hospital, where he was rushed due to loss of consciousness, at around 2:00 p.m.

The body of Villamor, alleged middleman in the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid, was brought to eastern funeral service, Alabang where the National Bureau of Investigation medico-legal team is conducting autopsy.

Bureau of Corrections spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag says they asked the New Bilibid Prison superintendent to investigate the claim of the suspect Joel Estorial that the hit order on radio broadcaster Percy Lapid came from someone inside the national penitentiary.

He says they expect a report within the day.

“We, in BuCor will not tolerate this and we are open to any inquiry as we are serious in our job and would always endeavor to improve our systems if indeed there had been lapses,” Chaclag adds.

NCRPO chief PBGen. Jonnel Estomo says gunman in fatal ambush of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid is now under their custody.

"It is with great pride to inform you that the gunman in that incident is already under our custody," Estomo says. — Xave Gregorio

Bookmark this page for updates on the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid.

Screengrab from Youtube/LAPID FIRE ni Percy Lapid.