JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag has expressed his desire to surrender.
The Philippine National Police tagged Bantag as a fugitive after the Muntinlupa and Las Piñas regional trial courts last week issued warrants for his arrest in connection with last year’s killing of radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and Bilibid inmate Cristito Palana Villamor alias Jun Villamor.
Remulla said a “colleague” informed him of Bantag’s desire to surrender.
“He spoke to one of my colleagues in the Cabinet to say that he may wish to surrender,” Remulla told reporters in an ambush interview, adding he was informed of it around five days ago.
Asked if this may affect the operation of the authorities to hunt the former BuCor chief to serve the warrants, Remulla said, “It is the job of law enforcement authorities to serve the warrant.”
Remulla declined to identify the colleague and provide details on what other information was relayed to him.
As to Bantag’s co-accused, BuCor deputy security chief Ricardo Zulueta, Remulla said they have not received any offer of surrender.
Bantag and Zulueta have denied any involvement in the killings of Lapid and Villamor.
The two were indicted as “principal by inducement” in the October 2022 murder of Lapid and Villamor.
Self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial said Villamor acted as the middleman and contacted him to do the hit on Lapid.
Villamor was later killed inside the national penitentiary in what Remulla said was as move meant to prevent him from identifying the mastermind in Lapid’s murder.
Aside from the murder charges, Bantag is also facing plunder and graft charges before the Department of Justice over allegations that he and several other BuCor officials rigged bidding for the construction of three prison facilities at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan, Davao Prison and Penal Farm, and Leyte Regional Prison, worth P1 billion.
Bantag is also facing criminal charges for allegedly torturing several inmates at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Last January, Bantag turned the table on Remulla and his replacement at BuCor, Gregorio Catapang Jr., and accused them of involvement in the murders of Lapid and Villamor.
Bantag also filed administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against Remulla and Catapang.
