BuCor Deputy Security Officer Ricardo Zulueta with his lawyer Lauro Gacayan (with glasses). (Photo from Gacayan’s Facebook post)
MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Deputy Security Officer Ricardo Zulueta, one of those linked to the murder of journalist Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, is alive and is not hiding abroad, his lawyer said.
A complaint for murder was filed against Zulueta and suspended BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag in connection with Mabasa’s slay.
READ: Murder raps filed vs Bantag, others linked to Percy Lapid slay
“Just want to be clear about it. My client is not in hiding abroad or already dead,” lawyer Lauro Gacayan said in his Facebook post on Friday.
Gacayan said authorities might have been misled that his client was abroad after being confused with the location of his law office.
“Somebody might have told them that I had coffee with Col. Zulueta in my other law office along Pennsylvania Ave., [San] Francisco resulting in their erroneous conclusion.”
“But they do not know that my other law office in my hometown is really along Pennsylvania Ave., San Francisco, but in San Fernando City, La Union, not San Francisco, California, USA,” he said.
READ: Remulla dares Bantag, Zulueta: Face murder complaints like a man
Lapid was shot dead in Las Piñas City on October 3. His death sparked widespread condemnation and triggered a high-profile investigation.
Self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial later surrendered and was presented to the media on October 18. On the same day, supposed middleman Cristito Villamor Palaña was reported dead inside the New Bilibid Prison.
Bantag and Zulueta are also facing additional murder raps for Palaña’s death.