Warrant out for Bantag over murder of ‘middleman’ in Percy Lapid slay
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 8:20 p.m.) — 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.
The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 also ordered the arrest of former BuCor deputy for security Ricardo Zulueta over the same offense.
The order is dated April 12 but was released to public only on Thursday.
Both Bantag and Zulueta cannot post bail as murder is a non-bailable offense.
The two are facing separate charges before a Las Piñas court for the murder of Lapid, whose real name is Percival Mabasa. It is not yet known whether this court has issued an arrest warrant for these charges.
Aside from murder charges, Bantag also faces plunder and graft complaints over allegations that he rigged a bidding for the construction of three prison facilities worth P1 billion. He is also facing criminal raps for allegedly torturing Bilibid inmates.
Bantag, who has denied the accusations, is alleged to be the mastermind behind the killing of Lapid — a broadcast journalist known for his fiery criticism of the administrations of former President Rodrigo Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
He and Zulueta are said to have used New Bilibid Prison inmate Jun Villamor as a middleman for the hit on Lapid.
Villamor was found dead hours after Joel Escorial, the confessed gunman in the Lapid assassination, surfaced. In a second autopsy, Villamor’s death was found to be due to suffocation from a plastic bag put over his head.
In January, Bantag in turn accused Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Bureau of Corrections chief Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. before the Office of the Ombudsman of involvement in the murders that has been accused of.
He claimed that Remulla had been "hurt and upset" by radio commentary about him. "This is the motive in ordering the killing of Percy Lapid," he claimed, referring to Mabasa.
Bantag also filed administrative complaints of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and conduct unbecoming of a public official against Remulla and Catapang. — with a report from Kristine Joy Patag
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