The Department of Justice (DOJ) has assigned prosecutors to conduct preliminary investigations on two more separate criminal complaints filed against suspended Bureau of Corrections Director General Bantag.
Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon said the complaints for alleged torture and serious physical injuries filed by two persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City against Bantag were assigned to Assistant State Prosecutor Michael Humarang.
The second complaint for alleged torture, grave threats, oral defamation, and obstruction of justice filed by jail guards of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Palawan was assigned to Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Roldan Parrocha and Prosecution Attorney Victor Dalanao, Fadullon added.
The DOJ official said the preliminary investigation on the two separate complaints against Bantag will start immediately.
Bantag has been charged with two counts of murder as “principal by inducement” for the deaths of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” C. Mabasa and PDL Cristito Villamor Palana who was named by self-confessed gunman Joel S. Escorial as his “middleman” in the killing of the broadcaster on Oct. 3, 2022, in Las Pinas City.
The preliminary investigation of the two murder complaints was stalled when Bantag sought the inhibition of the panel of prosecutors. His motion was denied and the denial had been upheld.
The panel has reset the probe to Feb. 8 for the submission of the counter-affidavits of those named respondents. The complaints of the two PDLs, Ronald Usman and Jonathan Escopete, were filed before the DOJ last Jan. 13.
In their complaints, Usman and Escopete alleged that “on or about Feb. 1, 2022 at 11:30 a.m., we, together with other prison commanders at the Maximum Security Compound of the NBP, were summoned by Bantag to his Office at the Administration Building and thereat, Bantag who was then under the influence of liquor and for no apparent reasons, tortured us and inflicted serious physical injuries upon our persons.”
Usman alleged that “Bantag held my right hand and stabbed my right palm with the use of a double-edged knife which pierced through.”
Escopete, on the other hand, alleged that “Bantag slashed my shirt using a Kris knife and thereafter, pointed it on my chest causing it to bleed.” He also alleged that when pleaded for mercy, “Bantag stabbed my left thigh.”
The second complaints were filed by IPPF jail guards Lazaro Rafols Jr., Jer Sahid B. Mojado, Eddie Jimenez Jr., Richie C. Canja, Roy B. Gacasa, and Asher B. Labrador.
The jail guards alleged that they were beaten up inside the office of Bantag on March 2, 2020, after being accused by his (Bantag’s) men of “burning” or unmasking the identity of an illegal drugs informant.
Besides Bantag, also named respondents in the jail guards’ complaints were BuCor’s Deputy Security Officer Ricardo S. Zulueta – who is also Bantag’s co-respondent in the Mabasa-Palana killings — former BuCor Deputy Director General Gabriel P. Chaclag and BuCor personnel Jayferson G. Bon-as, Victor Erick L. Pascua, Bayani D. Allaga, Rose Marie, Casion, Joel M. Arnold, Kanoy B. Lattot, Ave B. Akilit, Edgar F. Angeles Jr., and Michale A. Marzan.
They were charged with oral defamation under Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC); grave threats under Art. 282, RPC; grave coercion under Art. 286, RPC; violation of Republic Act (RA) 9745, the Anti-Torture Act; and obstruction of justice under Presidential Decree 1829.
