The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it will continue the manhunt to capture former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and his former deputy Ricardo Zulueta.
“This is our assurance that even though one of his cases was archived, it would not be a reason for us to stop the manhunt operation.” PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo told reporters in an interview.
The PNP spokesperson also said that the authorities have been receiving reliable and credible information regarding the possible whereabouts of Bantag.
The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 archived the case against the two in connection with the killing of New Bilibid Prison inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in broadcaster Percy Lapid’s slay noted also that the archived case is subject to revival. Vince Lopez
The Department of Justice (DOJ) under Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has offered a Php. 3 million cash reward to anyone who can provide information on Bantag and Zulueta’s location or whereabouts, who both remain at large despite the issuance of an arrest warrant against them.
Bantag and Zulueta are the alleged masterminds in the killing of Lapid and Villamor. Both have since denied the allegations thrown against them.
DOJ officer-in-charge Raul Vasquez said archiving the case was only part of the process.
“When an accused is not under the jurisdiction of the court, the prosecution or the trial cannot resume. The first crucial act is the fact that the accused is subjected within the jurisdiction of the trial court.” he said at a media briefing.
Vasquez said failure to archive a case may cause administrative problems in the courts’ dockets.
Villamor, meanwhile, died at the NBP on October 18 and an autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun showed that his remains had a “history of asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation.”
Earlier, the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court sentenced three NBP inmates to two to eight years in prison as accessories in the Lapid killing.
The broadcaster, whose real name was Percival Mabasa, was the host of the online broadcast program “Percy Lapid Fire” at DWBL 1242 and a columnist for ‘Hataw.’
Percy Lapid, a staunch critic of then BuCor chief General Bantag, was shot dead in Las Piñas City on October 3, 2022 in his SUV while enroute going to his residence.