FILE PHOTO: Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The subpoena issued against Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag is “deemed served” on the suspended official even if it was sent to his last known address where he is said to be no longer staying.
Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie Guhit told reporters Tuesday: “The subpoena was served to the last known address of (Director General) Bantag in Caloocan.”
The subpoena was issued following murder complaints filed against Bantag and several others for the murder of radioman Percy Lapid (real name: Percival Mabasa) and the alleged middleman in the broadcaster’s assassination, Cristito Palaña (formerly identified by authorities as Jun or Crisanto Villamor).
But a village captain told the subpoena server that Bantag has not stayed in the Caloocan City residence since he assumed the BuCor chief post, so the subpoena was only received at the barangay hall, according to Guhit.
Guhit also said they have no information about where Bantag is staying right now.
Still, he stressed: “The subpoena, insofar as the prosecution is concerned, is deemed served.”
READ: Percy Lapid slay: DOJ prosecutor merges murder complaints vs Bantag, gunman
He then said the National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police should inform DOJ’s three-member panel of prosecutors through a manifestation or appropriate pleading about the new address of Bantag before they could issue another subpoena to the beleaguered BuCor official.
Guhit is part of the three-member panel from the DOJ-National Prosecution Service, which issued the subpoena and is conducting the preliminary investigation on the murder complaints filed against Bantag and others last November 7 before the DOJ-Office of the Prosecutor General.
Earlier, Bantag stood firm that he would not surrender until DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla resigns.
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