Separate rap filed vs. aide Zulueta, 10 others for Mabasa, Palaña slays
Police on Monday filed two murder complaints against suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and several others for allegedly giving the order to kill radio commentator Percival Mabasa and the inmate who supposedly contracted the killers to do it.
Murder complaints have also been lodged against BuCor Deputy Security Officer Ricardo Zulueta and prisoners linked to the murder of Mabasa, better known as Percy Lapid, and the alleged middleman, Cristito Palaña, earlier referred to as Jun or Crisanto Villamor and Jun Globa Villamor.
“[Bantag] will probably be the highest official of this land to be charged with a case of this gravity,” Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said.
Bantag was suspended in October following the death of Palaña inside the New Bilibid Prison.
Bantag and Zulueta were charged as “principals by inducement.”
Self-confessed gunman Joel S. Escorial, who surrendered to the police, tagged Palaña as the middleman who offered him and his companions P550,000 to kill Mabasa, which they did on Oct. 3.
In his confession, Escorial admitted that he shot Mabasa three times.
Meanwhile, an autopsy on Palana’s remains showed that the manner of his death was “homicide through asphyxiation,” which was consistent with testimonies gathered in a probe by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Remulla, on instructions from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., had ordered the preventive suspension of Bantag.
During a joint press briefing, Remulla and Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benajmin Abalos Jr. called on Bantag and Zulueta to surrender and assured them that they would be given due process.
Zulueta was believed to have gone into hiding.
Remulla also admitted that Bantag and Zulueta were not summoned by the investigating agencies to shed light on the two deaths but said they would be given a chance to answer the charges filed against them during the preliminary investigation.
“It wasn’t necessary, all possible witnesses have been questioned and we consider this an exceptional case. None of these people would have talked if General Bantag remained as the head of the BuCor,” Remulla said.
In a joint statement, the NBI and the PNP said a major breakthrough in its investigation into the death of Mabasa and Palaña came after the latter’s sister surfaced and revealed his dying declaration.
Villamor’s sister shared the messages she received from her brother through Facebook Messenger to investigators where he revealed the names of three prison gang leaders who should be held responsible in case he died.
Authorities immediately secured Batang City Jail commander Alvin Labra, Happy Go-Lucky commander Alfie Peñaredonda, and Sputnik commander Aldrin Galicia, who were mentioned by Palaña in his dying declaration.
Another suspect named by a confidential informant was also transferred to NBI custody.
“There, they revealed all,” the joint statement said.
In the Mabasa killing, named “principals by indispensable cooperation” were prisoners Denver Batungbakal Mayores, Alvin Cornista Labra, Aldrin Micosa Galicia, and Alfie Penaredonda.
For the killing of Palaña, charged as “principals by direct participation” were prisoners Christian Dizon Ramac, Ricky Lamigo Salgado, Ronnie Pabustan Dela Cruz, and Joel Alog Reyes.
“It was found through the investigation that both Director-General Gerald Bantag and DSO Ricardo Zulueta were behind the killing of both Percy Lapid and Jun Villamor,” the statement said.
It said the sworn statements of the inmates showed “a clear and direct line of communication” from Zulueta to Mayores, who communicated with Alvin Labra, who then coordinated with Aldrin Galicia “who then orchestrated and executed the killing of Percy Lapid through his gang members and his gang members’ contacts on the outside, ultimately ending with gunman Joel Escorial and his group,” it added.
The same direct line could be found in the killing of Palaña, the statement said.
It said Palaña was suffocated using a plastic bag while he was held down by his own gang members.
“This unique circumstance shows that the order came from a high official of the BuCor. One usually seeks refuge and protection from his own gang members. The fact that they killed one of their own… indicates that there were instructions from the top and the gang simply had no choice but to execute,” it added.
“Director-General Bantag had a clear motive to effect the murders,” the statement continued.
It said Mabasa’s exposé on Bantag on his show “Lapid Fire” was the motive for his murder.
Palaña, on the other hand, was killed to cover up the people behind Mabasa’s murder.
“The self-confessed gunman stated that the reward for the murder of Percy Lapid was P550,000. According to the credible intelligence reports, within the period of Sept. 15, 2022 and Oct. 7, 2022 there were indeed cash deposits totaling the amount of P550,000,” it said.
“In sum, all the statements given by the [inmates] and gunman Joel Escorial, coupled with evidence, corroborate as to the material facts needed to prove the two (2) counts of murder,” the authorities said.
Mabasa, the tough-talking voice behind scathing commentaries aired on DWBL 1242’s “Lapid Fire,” was ambushed and gunned down near the gate of a Las Piñas City subdivision on Oct. 3.
In his confession, Escorial said a certain “Bantag” had ordered Mabasa’s murder.
Mabasa’s brother Roy, also a journalist, said he wanted to make sure there were no other people behind the killing.
“I have to be very, very careful in accepting that this is the end of the case. I want to make sure that there are no more people behind this. If this is the end, then we will accept it wholeheartedly,” Mabasa told radio dzBB.
“Our issue here is our security. Because if the masterminds continue to walk free, our family will never be at peace,” he added.
Mabasa said their family hopes that the wheels of justice are grinding on the right path.
“We believe in the ability of [Justice] Secretary [Crispin] Remulla—and also the NBI, PNP—to lead this investigation that they conducted. But nevertheless, let’s remember that there are three more who escaped,” he said, referring to Israel Dimaculangan, Edmund Dimaculangan, and a certain Orlando, whom Escorial identified as his accomplices.
Mabasa was an outspoken critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte as well as his successor’s policies.
He also had been critical of “red-tagging”—accusing someone of being a communist sympathizer—as well as online gambling operations and misinformation around martial law.
Lapid was the second journalist to be killed since Marcos took office on June 30.
While the Philippines is ranked as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, such murders rarely happen in Manila.
Eugene Javier of the NBI said the investigation into the murders had exposed “the institutionalization of a criminal organization within the government.”
“This will be the cause of many reforms in government and the strengthening of current mechanisms to ensure that nothing of this nature will happen again,” he said, describing it as a “war against impunity.”
Malacanang expressed hope that justice will finally be served to the Mabasa family.
“The President is aware of the situation and hopefully it will pave the way and finally justice will be served to the family of Mabasa,” Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) officer-in-charge Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil said.
The House of Representatives condemned the killing of Mabasa in House Resolution 489 adopted Monday.
“Local and international journalists were outraged and deeply saddened by the killing of Mr. Percival ‘Percy Lapid’ C. Mabasa, and they considered this dastardly act as an attack on the freedom of speech and of the press that must be stopped in order to save and maintain democracy,” the resolution said.
“Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives, to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the senseless killing of veteran broadcaster Percival ‘Percy Lapid’ C. Mabasa and to express grave concern for the safety and security of journalists in the country,” it added.
The House resolution was introduced by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose M. Dalipe, and House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, on the other hand, played down the impact of Mabasa’s killing on other Filipino journalists, saying there would be no “chilling effect.”
“You know, we have very free media compared to Singapore and Vietnam,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dasmarinas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. donated “seed money” of P100,000 and asked his fellow legislators to follow suit to help the Mabasa family.
“While giving a reward is commendable for the immediate apprehension of the perpetrators, it is also equally important that we provide aid to the heirs of the slain journalist whose relatives are now suffering from threats and intimidation in their lives,” he said.
Barzaga, chairman of the House committee on natural resources, took the initiative following the P5 million reward money raised by Speaker Romualdez and many others for purposes of providing “information that would lead to the arrest” of suspects and alleged masterminds.