Remulla: No sacred cows in PBBM administration

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday vowed to get to the bottom of the murder of broadcaster Percy Lapid, including the mysterious death of a Bilibid inmate, saying there will be "no sacred cows" in the administration of President Marcos Jr.

The justice secretary issued the statement Friday, in which he also announced the preventive suspension of Bureau of Corrections chief, Director General Gerald Bantag.

"He (President Marcos Jr.) asked me to preventively suspend Usec-DG Bantag of BuCor so that there may be a fair impartial investigation on the matter. So that all doubts will be put to rest that there are no sacred cows in this administration, " Remulla said.

Bantag has been slapped with a 90-day preventive suspension over the mysterious death of an inmate who supposedly relayed the order to kill Lapid last 3 October.

BuCor is an attached agency of the Department of Justice.

Bantag will be replaced by former Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gregorio Catapang Jr. in an officer-in-charge capacity.

Self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial had claimed upon his surrender that the order to assassinate Lapid came from inside the walls of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. He said there were six of them contracted to do the hit and were paid a total of P550,000.