Bantag, Zulueta indicted anew for grave coercion

MANILA, Philippines — Former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and his deputy Ricardo Zulueta have again been indicted by the Department of Justice (DOJ), this time for grave coercion in connection with a 2020 shootout at the Iwahig Penal Colony in Palawan.

They will face charges of grave coercion before the Muntinlupa Metropolitan Trial Court together with former BuCor spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag and nine other BuCor personnel: Victor Erick Pascua, Bayani Allaga, Rose Marie Casion, Jayferson Bon-As, Joel Arnold, Kanoy Lattot, Ave Akilit, Edgar Angeles Jr. and Michael Marzan.

According to the DOJ, Bantag ordered the complainants, who are BuCor jail officers, to cover up the shootout between the complainants and Bantag’s men at the penal colony on March 1, 2020.

Bantag and Chaclag “unlawfully coerced, through violence, threats, and intimidation, complainant (Richie) Canja into signing a document stating that there was no shooting incident at the (penal colony) on March 1, 2020 involving BuCor personnel,” read the DOJ press briefer.

They also used “violence, threats and intimidation” and “hurl(ed) unsavory words to the complainants” in order to “unlawfully force (them to) desist” from filing cases against Bantag’s men over the incident, which resulted in a lockdown at the penal colony.

“Bantag and Chaclag, even if they were then the superior officers of complainants, had no authority or any right to prevent Canja from filing a criminal case against those involved,” the DOJ said.

“As a result, Bantag and Chaclag should be held liable for the crime of grave coercion,” it added.

The DOJ dismissed due to insufficient evidence the other charges of grave threats, physical injuries, slander, obstruction of justice and torture.

This is the third case filed against Bantag and Zulueta since they were charged with the murders of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid, pending before the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court, and alleged middleman New Bilibid Prison (NBP) inmate Jun Villamor, before the Muntinlupa RTC.

Their second indictment involved the torture and serious physical injuries allegedly inflicted on NBP inmates Ronald Usman and Jonathan Escopete at Bantag’s office in February 2022.