The Department of Justice will issue subpoenas today (Monday) against suspended prisons chief Gerald Bantag and several others on the murder complaints filed for the deaths of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and inmate Cristito “Jun Villamor” Palana.
The issuance of the subpoenas requiring the appearance and submission of counter-affidavits by Bantag and his co-respondents in the two murder cases officially starts the preliminary investigation of the charges, the DOJ said.
“Subpoenas will be issued Monday,” Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie L. Guhit said in a text message to reporters.
Aside from Guhit, the other members of the panel of prosecutors are Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Josie Christina T. Dugay and Deputy State Prosecutor Olivia I. Laroza Torrevillas who sits as chairperson.
Bantag and Bureau of Corrections Deputy Security Officer Ricardo Zulueta were charged as “principals by inducement” in the killings of Mabasa and Palana, an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison who was tagged as a “middleman” in the murder contract by self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial.
Also charged in the Percy Lapid killing as “principals by indispensable cooperation” were inmates Denver Batungbakal Mayores, Alvin Cornista Labra, Aldrin Micosa Galicia and Alfie Penaredonda.
For the killing of Palana, also charged as “principals by direct participation” were inmates Christian Dizon Ramac, Ricky Lamigo Salgado, Ronnie Pabustan Dela Cruz, and Joel Alog Reyes.
The two murder complaints will be consolidated with the first complaint filed by the Philippine National Police on Oct. 18 against Joel Escorial and his four alleged accomplices – brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, a person identified only as “Orly” or “Orlando,” and Christopher Bacoto, a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) inmate, who, together with Palana, had been tagged as middlemen in the Mabasa killing.
Bacoto earlier submitted his counter-affidavit denying any involvement in the crime.
Lawyer Salvador Quimpo said Bacoto denied he was the one who talked to Escorial for the payment of the murder contract.
Quimpo said his client knew of Escorial but had never talked to him.
Prior to the consolidation of the cases, Guhit has been conducting the preliminary investigation on the murder complaint against Escorial and his alleged accomplices.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said the DOJ will file with the trial courts petitions for the issuance of precautionary hold departure order (PHDO) against Bantag and Zulueta.
In a recent media interview, Bantag challenged Remulla to step down asJustice Secretary for allegedly losing credibility and moral ascendancy to head the DOJ.
Remulla, however, urged Bantag to “just face the charges like a man.”
Bantag on Friday accused Remulla of two things: that he was into drugs and may even have a hand in the drug case of his own son, and that he was using his position as Justice chief to prepare for the 2025 elections.
He also insinuated that Remulla wanted to “control the drug lords.”
DOJ spokesperson Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano earlier said Bantag’s accusations may have been prompted by a “misguided sense of betrayal.” “The Department of Justice understands the predicament of DG Bantag. His words and actions, no matter how personal and inappropriate, come from a misguided sense of betrayal. (But) there is only one issue at hand, the related murders of Percy Lapid and Jun Villamor. Let us not muddle the issue, let us not clutch at straws,” Clavano said.