Bantag is still 'somewhere up north' — PNP spox

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

PNP spokesperson PBGen. Jean Fajardo, during a press conference at Camp Crame, stated that the manhunt operation against Bantag is still ongoing. Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Chief PBGen. Nicolas Torre III provided updates on the mission.

Fajardo noted that PNP Chief General Rommel Francisco Marbil and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla are kept informed about all police efforts regarding Bantag’s case, believing that the former BuCor chief is still “somewhere up north.”

“There are some reports that reached our office regarding possible sightings of Bantag. But without going into too many details, our tracker teams are operating non-stop,” she said.

Previously, Remulla 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 issued an arrest warrant for Bantag in connection with the murder of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa.

Additionally, a Muntinlupa City court has also issued an arrest warrant for Bantag and his deputy, Sr. Supt. Ricardo Zulueta, in connection with the murder of National Bilibid Prison inmate Cristito Pana Villamor. Villamor was allegedly the middleman in the killing of Mabasa.

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

Mabasa was shot dead on his way home in Las Piñas 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 acted upon instructions from contacts inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

Escorial identified Villamor as one of his NBP contacts, and Villamor later turned up dead behind bars. An independent autopsy concluded that Villamor died from “asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation.”