Bantag still ‘somewhere up north’ — PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday said it has received information on possible sightings of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag who has an arrest warrant over a murder case in the Bilibid prison.

PNP spokesperson PBGen. Jean Fajardo, in a press conference at Camp Crame, noted the manhunt operation against Bantag is still ongoing with Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief PBGen. Nicolas Torre III mentioned some developments on the mission.

According to Fajardo, PNP chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla are being informed of all police efforts on the case of Bantag, believing that the former BuCor chief is still “somewhere up north.”

“There are some reports that reached our office the possible sightings nga po ni Bantag. But without giving too many details, our tracker teams are operating non-stop,” she said.

Remulla previously expressed optimism that law enforcement would soon catch Bantag.

“We know where he is but we have not found him yet. But we will find him soon, pretty soon, that’s all,” Remulla said in an interview last Tuesday.

In April 2023, the Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court Branch 254 ordered the arrest of Bantag for the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa.

A Muntinlupa City court has also issued an arrest warrant against Bantag and his deputy Sr. Supt. Ricardo Zulueta for the murder of New Bilibid Prison inmate Cristito Pana Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of Mabasa.

The suspects are criminally charged with violation of Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code for murder which is a non-bailable offense.

Mabasa was on his way home in Las Piñas when his vehicle was shot by an unidentified on 3 October 2022.

In the following days, Joel Escorial surrendered to authorities and claimed to be one of the gunmen, along with brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, saying they were acting upon instructions from contacts inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

Escorial identified Viillamor as one of his NBP contacts, the latter turned up dead behind bars. It was concluded in an independent autopsy that Villamor died due to “asphyxia” by plastic bag suffocation.