‘Bantag being tipped off to evade arrest’

DOJ official cites ex-BuCor chief’s network within police

MANILA, Philippines — Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag has been receiving tips that have helped him evade authorities’ leads on his whereabouts, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said yesterday.

Bantag and his deputy Ricardo Zulueta are being hunted for involvement in the murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid and alleged middleman Cristito Villamor Palana, as well as for torture complaints filed by inmates in Bilibid.

“Bantag, as you may know, is also a (former) police officer. He has a certain network as well within the police and I guess also in other law enforcement agencies, which makes it a little bit tricky,” DOJ spokesman Mico Clavano said.

A native of Baguio City, Bantag is believed to be moving around “a certain general area.”

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Monday that Bantag could be anywhere in Northern Luzon.

The National Bureau of Investigation has raised a P2-million reward for any information that could lead to Bantag’s arrest and another P1 million for Zulueta.

“We need to pinpoint exactly where he is and to time the operation or the arrest to properly catch him off-guard. To streamline this information and go directly to the source, we need to put up this reward,” Clavano said.

Bantag had signified his intention to surrender twice in the last two months, but he never turned up to face the charges.

The bounties indicate that the pair’s refusal to surrender has forced the hand of authorities, who want them in custody before the Lapid killing marks its first year.

Lapid, Percival Mabasa in real life, was shot dead in Las Piñas on Oct. 3.

Villamor was believed murdered while in detention at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa.

Based on the timeline of the kill contract mapped last year by the DOJ, Bantag allegedly gave the order to kill Lapid and tasked Zulueta to lay down the instructions on delivering the hit.

Villamor’s murder was also allegedly ordered by Bantag shortly after the gunman he hired surrendered to authorities.

The murder charges are among a string of criminal cases that Bantag and Zulueta are facing.

Last month, they were indicted for allegedly torturing two inmates at the NBP.

Guards from Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan have also filed a torture complaint against Bantag.

BuCor director Gregorio Catapang Jr. has filed plunder, graft, malversation of public funds, grave misconduct and dishonesty against Bantg over the allegedly anomalous bidding for the construction of prison facilities in Davao, Leyte and Palawan amounting to about P1 billion.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) reiterated its call for Bantag and Zulueta to surrender following announcement of bounties for their arrest.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Bantag and Zulueta should turn themselves in and face the charges against them.

Fajardo said the PNP welcomes the bounty as it could encourage people to come forward and give information.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Edgar Allan Okubo said the bounty would help hasten the capture of Bantag and Zulueta.

Okubo assured the public that all information supplied to the police undergoes validation.

He said the NCRPO continues to hunt down Bantag and Zulueta with or without the reward money. — Emmanuel Tupas, Daphne Galvez