The camp of suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag on Monday received his subpoena in connection with the murder complaints filed against him over the deaths of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and New Bilibid Prison inmate Jun Villamor.
Bantag’s lawyer, Rocky Balisong, accepted the subpoena from the Department of Justice.
“We saw and just received the subpoena for our client, General Gerald Bantag,” Balisong said in an ambush interview, adding that his client is “very ready” to face the investigation.
Balisong said Bantag wanted to accompany him to receive the subpoena at the DOJ.
“He really wanted to come with us. He really wanted to go. But we told him that he need not go with us since we would get the subpoena. We are armed with the special power of attorney,” he said.
However, Balisong said Bantag is allowed to miss the hearing.
“Yeah, it’s allowed. It depends on what will happen on Wednesday. If we will submit the counter affidavit and the panel requires that it should be subscribed before them, then he will go with us,” he said.
“But we will see if it can be subscribed before other prosecutors… Maybe he doesn’t have to come with us,” Balisong added.
Bantag has been tagged as the alleged mastermind behind the killing of Lapid and Villamor, who was named by self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial as one of two alleged middlemen in the murder contract.
The preliminary investigation hearing on the case is set on Wednesday, November 23.
Mabasa was shot dead in Las Pinas City on Oct. 3, while Villamor died at the NBP which is under the Bureau of Corrections.
An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortin showed the remains of Villamor to have a “history of asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation.”
As this developed, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said he received information about the whereabouts of BuCor Senior Superintendent Ricardo Zulueta last week.
Zulueta also faces prosecution for the murder charges along with other inmates.
“I had information a week ago on where he was, at least. Someone told our sources,” Remulla said but did not elaborate.
Meanwhile, Remulla on Monday said he has ordered a study on the possible violations Bantag committed over the huge excavation at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
“I have asked my staff to study all possible cases that are there,” Remulla said. “That excavation definitely resulted in damages to the government. It will cost us a lot of money and time to fill that up.”
Remulla said about 1.2 million cubic meters of earth were removed from the excavation, which has to be filled again.
The Justice Secretary said Bantag admitted to him that the purpose of the excavation was for treasure hunting.
However, Bantag denied having said that “treasure hunting” was the purpose of the excavation, insisting it was for the building of a large diving pool which would be used for training by BuCor personnel who are also engaged in rescue operations during calamities.
“It’s his word against mine,” Remulla said.
Bantag said the excavation was done with the help of Agua Tierra Oro Mina Development Corporation (ATOM), a firm based in Gen. Tinio in Nueva Ecija.
He also admitted that he entered into a joint venture agreement (JVA) with ATOM for the transfer of the NBP to a donated 234-hectare property in Gen. Tinio in exchange for the development of the Bilibid property for which the government will get 35 percent of the earnings.
Remulla said then Justice Secretary and now Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra had issued a memorandum to stop taking further action on the supposed JVA.
Remulla also requested the Commission on Audit to inquire into the issues surrounding the Bureau of Corrections, especially the controversial excavation.
Remulla said BuCor acting chief Gregorio Catapang has formally sent a request letter to COA to conduct an audit.
“Catapang is already working on that. He asked them to look into it because we do have a problem with the expenses of BuCor regarding that,” the Justice Secretary said.