Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said the alleged mistake in the middle initial of suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag is not a fatal mistake as his lawyer claimed.

Remulla said the wrong middle name printed on the subpoena sent to Bantag's lawyer will not affect the case.

"It is not a fatal mistake. The case is deep but we are looking at the case right now. The error will not affect the case of Bantag," he said.

The justice chief said he is asking the National Bureau of Investigation to contact the family of BuCor Deputy Security chief Ricardo Zulueta so they can know his exact location.

Authorities continue to gather evidence even if the cases have already been filed before DoJ.
Remulla said the NBI is not letting up the build-up of evidence in connection with the deaths of broadcaster Percy Lapid and middleman Jun Villamor.

"Case build-up is ongoing even if the case has been filed already. You know these are not simple cases… That is why we are unrelenting," he added.

During Wednesday's preliminary investigation, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie L. Guhit, a member of the panel of prosecutors probing the sensational deaths, said the NBI will be submitting additional evidence.

"The NBI manifested that it will file supplemental evidence. The panel directed the NBI to furnish all the respondents the copies of supplemental evidence five days before the next hearing on 5 December," Guhit said.

The NBI and Philippine National Police have filed two murder complaints against Bantag and several others including jail gang leaders, in connection with the two murders.

For the murder of Lapid, charged were Bantag, and Zulueta as principals by inducement. persons deprived of liberty Denver B. Mayores, Alvin C. Labra, Aldrin M. Galicia and Alfie Peñaredonda are likewise charged as principals by indispensable cooperation.

While for the murder of Villamor, charged were Bantag and Zulueta as principals by inducement. PDLs Labra, Galicia, Mario G. Alvarez and Joesph Medel Georfo as principals by indispensable cooperation.

Potential witnesses

PDLs Christam D. Ramac, Ricky L. Salgado, Ronnie P. de la Cruz and Joel A. Reyes were also charged as principals by direct participation.

Remulla added that potential witnesses who are mostly inmates have signified willingness to blow the whistle on irregularities happening inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, including the questionable deaths of high-profile inmates who died at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"There are already feelers from persons who want to speak about other things that happened within the BuCor compound," he said.

He added: "PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) know many things. There is a saying that if the walls could talk, they already talked. Siyempre there are a lot of secrets behind the whole complex."

At least eight PDLs died under suspicious circumstances while detained at the NBP maximum security compound.

Their deaths have spawned suspicion of foul play because they died during pandemic lockdowns from May to June 2020 despite testimonies from other prisoners that they were in good health
Except for one inmate, their remains were said to be hastily cremated.

Following the death of drug convict Jayvee Sebastian and other inmates, the NBI was formally tasked to launch an investigation.

Skeletal remains

Remulla said the skeletal remains found by authorities at an excavation site at the DoJ will be examined by the NBI.

Under the new administration, constructions and renovations of government buildings and infrastructures continue but work in the construction site inside the DoJ compound took a halt on Thursday afternoon.

The temporary halt was also prompted by the discovery of skeletal remains.

NBI personnel and DoJ officials inspected a skull, which is reportedly not the first time to discover a human skull in the compound.

A DoJ official said the said area used to be a garrison of Japanese soldiers.