Bantag, Zulueta urged to surrender

(FROM LEFT) Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Supt. Ricardo Zulueta, former BuCor chief Gerald Bantag, and assassinated radioman Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa. Photo from BuCor/Facebook Page/INQUIRER FILES

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. called on former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and former Deputy Officer Ricardo Zulueta to surrender to authorities following the issuance of warrants of arrest against them for two counts of murder.

“Anybody who has an existing warrant of arrest who has not been arrested yet is considered as a fugitive,” he told reporters in Camp Crame on Monday.

Bantag and Zulueta are wanted for the separate killings in October last year of broadcast journalist Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and Cristito “Jun Villamor” Palaña, an inmate of New Bilibid Prison who served as the middleman in the hiring of hit men.

“Back then, I already offered to [Bantag] when he was relieved from the BuCor that if he wanted to surrender, the PNP can provide security for him,” Azurin said.

“But now that there are warrants of arrest against him, why doesn’t he make it easier for everyone and just surrender and face the charges so that he can also have his day in court?” he added.

The PNP chief said that neither Bantag nor Zulueta have sent any surrender feelers.

Judge Gener Gito of the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 issued arrest warrants on April 12 for Villamor’s murder.

On April 14, Las Piñas RTC Branch 254 Judge Harold Cesar Huliganga issued arrest warrants over Mabasa’s murder.

The two courts recommended no bail on the murder cases.Police attempted to serve the warrants of arrest against Bantag at his home in Caloocan, but he was not there. INQ