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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sec Remulla renews calls for Bantag to surrender

Sec Remulla renews calls for Bantag to surrender

Published Jul 28, 2023 05:55 am
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla on Friday, July 28, renewed calls for former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Q. Bantag to surrender to face his murder charges in courts. Bantag has been charged with murder before the regional trial courts (RTC) in Las Pinas City and Muntinlupa City for the deaths of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and Cristito Villamor Palana, a person deprived of liberty (PDLs) who was said to be the “middleman’ in the killing of the broadcaster. He has not surrendered or has been arrested despite the arrest warrants issued by the two trial courts. “He (Bantag) will have a fair trial, just surrender,” Remulla said during an interview on ANC. Remulla disclosed that he has received reports that Bantag has been spotted in Luzon. “But there were also reports that he went down to Manila for a while. I think he is back in the north now,” he said. The DOJ had earlier offered P2 million reward to anyone who would be able to provide information that will lead to the arrest of Bantag. But Remulla said he prefers the surrender of Bantag. “I hope he changes his mind about being a fugitive from justice because it will not do him any good and it is not doing our society any good. We do not want to romanticize people who want to defy the law. We want people to follow the rule of law because it is the hallmark of a stable society,” the justice secretary said. He assured: “We will not be inventing out of the blue. We will present the evidence that we have, the legal theory that we have developed and then, if the justice system finds him innocent, then he can have his liberty. But if he is found guilty then he has to suffer for it. It’s just that he has to undergo through the process of trial.”
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