Bantag on Percy murder: Not me, but Agojo

Who is German Agojo?

The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation will try to find out after Agojo's name was floated by suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag during an interview with SMNI Network last week.

Bantag claimed Agojo ordered the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid, saying that the convicted drug lord has links with confessed gunman Joel Escorial and the late Cristito Villamor, the alleged middleman.

Asked what would be Agojo's motive, Bantag did not elaborate.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said Bantag's allegations will be investigated by the police and NBI.

"As I have said before, even the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and Local Government said that we will proceed where the evidence takes us," she said.

Fajardo appealed to the public not to lose focus on the investigation and urged Bantag to bring his defense and evidence to the proper forum like the preliminary investigation.

During the interview, Bantag alleged that Agojo, Villamor, and Escorial were involved in the death of a judge in Tagaytay City. He pointed to Agojo as the group's ringleader.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla was quick to dismiss the allegations, saying Bantag is clutching on straws. He denied that the Department of Justice is singling out Bantag.

"There is no other motive here than to bring out the truth and reality. Of course, this will be done through our legal processes and with due process afforded to everyone involved," he said.

Bantag was among several persons charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Lapid and Villamor.

He chided Remulla for asking him to surrender when the preliminary investigation has yet to begin.

"I don't have an arrest warrant yet, but he is asking me to surrender. There is no subpoena yet. There is no preliminary investigation. Nothing yet. Why are they in a hurry? It's like they want to put me in jail already," he said during the interview. "If I were a bird, they would have put me in a cage, that's how they like it to be."

Subpoeanas issued

On Monday, the DoJ formally summoned Bantag, deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta, and several others, requiring them to answer the murder charges filed against them.

Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said the preliminary investigation will be held on 23 November at 9 a.m. and 5 December at 1 p.m.

Aside from Bantag and Zulueta, subpoenas were also issued to inmates Denver Mayores, Alvin C. Labra, Aldrin M. Galicia, Alfie Peñaredonda, Mario G. Alvarez, Joseph Medel Georfo, Christam D. Ramac, Ricky L. Salgado, Ronnie P. de la Cruz and Joel A. Reyes.