Suspended Bureau of Corrections director general Gerald Bantag and his former boss at the Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines —In a bizarre turn of events, the suspended BuCor head Gerald Bantag submitted murder and grave misconduct complaints against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, claiming that the latter orchestrated the death of journalist Percy Lapid.
Bantag’s complaints, dated January 4 and released to the media recently, alleged that Remulla had a personal reason to eliminate Lapid, as the radio personality had been very vocal in criticizing the Justice secretary even before he was given the position.
Bantag claimed that in July 2020, Lapid attacked Remulla on air, calling him derogatory names. He also noted that just four days before Lapid was killed outside the Las Piñas City subdivision he lives in, the journalist said that Remulla would destroy the image of the current administration.
“On September 29, 2022, just four days before Percy Lapid was killed, he hit and attacked Secretary Remulla in his Lapid Fire program. Percy Lapid described Sec. Remulla as a person who will destroy the image of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and that President Marcos should know this,” Bantag said.
“Further stating that Secretary Remulla is the one who had been defending POGO and Sec. Remulla is not ashamed to defend POGO when the people know that he has a business in same […] It was because of these that Remulla was hurt and upset. This is his motive in ordering the killing of Percy Lapid,” he added.
Furthermore, Bantag noted that based on the extrajudicial confession of Joel Escorial, the confessed gunman in the Percy Lapid case, the suspect went into hiding in Bacoor town of Cavite, where Remulla also hails from.
“Incidentally, Secretary Remulla is also from Bacoor, Cavite. Is it only a coincidence? Criminals ran and hide at their comfort zones. Although Escorial also stated that he is a resident of […] Montalban, Rizal, he chose to hide in Cavite where he feels most protected,” Bantag claimed.
“This clearly shows that in Bacoor, Cavite, Joel Escorial feels safe and secured because the real mastermind Secretary Remulla is from that place,” he added.
Bantag also accused the Department of Justice (DOJ) head of being behind the killing of BuCor inmate Jun Villamor, the middleman pinpointed by Escorial who died just this October 18.
Many believe Villamor did not die due to natural causes.
Bantag and other BuCor officials are facing murder complaints for their alleged role in killing Lapid, real-life Percival Mabasa, and Villamor. Investigation done by the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation showed that Bantag supposedly contacted now-suspended BuCor deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta to find people who could do the hit on Lapid.
READ: Murder raps filed vs Bantag, others linked to Percy Lapid slay
Remulla, in the past, admitted that he hoped investigations would not lead to Bantag and instead would show other people were responsible.
Bantag, as BuCor head, had the responsibility of supervising the NBP. The suspended official had previously denied involvement in Lapid’s death, saying he has nothing to gain from it.
READ: Murder raps filed vs Bantag, others linked to Percy Lapid slay
INQUIRER.net has sought the side of Secretary Remulla, but he has not yet replied as of posting time.