An immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) has been issued by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla against murder suspects Gerald Q. Bantag, the suspended director general of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), and Ricardo S. Zulueta, BuCor’s deputy security officer.
Both Bantag and Zulueta have been charged as “principals by inducement” in the deaths of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” C. Mabasa and New Bilibid Prison (NBP) inmate Cristito Villamor Palana, the alleged middleman of self-confessed gunman Joel S. Escorial in the killing of the broadcaster last Oct. 3 in Las Pinas City.
An ILBO mandates immigration officers in the airports and seaports to inform authorities if persons of interest are attempting to leave the country.
It was not known immediately why Remulla ordered the issuance of an ILBO against Bantag and Zulueta. The justice secretary had said that since the two murder suspects are government officials they cannot leave the country without travel authority.
“Considering the gravity of the offense charged in the criminal complaints, there is a strong possibility that respondents (Bantag and Zulueta) may attempt to place themselves beyond the reach of the legal processes by leaving the country,” Remulla said in his memorandum Immigration Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco.
While the memorandum was issued last Dec. 7, a copy was made available only on Tuesday, Dec. 20.
“Thus, this Department deems the issuance of an ILBO against the above-subject individuals prudent in order to at least monitor the itineraries of their flight, travel, and/or whereabouts,” Remulla said.
But Remulla reminded that “an ILBO is for monitoring purposes only, and it is not, in and of itself, a sufficient prohibition for a subject’s departure from the Philippines.”
Thus, he told Tansingco that information concerning attempts of Bantag and Zulueta to depart from the Philippines should be immediately and promptly be relayed to “concerned government office or agency, keeping in mind that time is of the essence in these situations, especially to determine the appropriate course of action to be taken thereafter.”
“Take all other appropriate actions, including, but not limited to, coordinating with other concerned offices and agencies, and even airlines, especially since international passengers are customarily required to check-in a specified number of hours before their flight,” he said.
A panel of prosecutors of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has started its preliminary investigation of the two murder complaints against Bantag and Zuelueta and the other respondents.
Also subject of investigation by the panel was the first murder charge filed against Escorial and his alleged accomplices in the killing of Percy Lapid.
Bantag and Zulueta have not filed their counter-affidavits to rebut the charges against them.
In the case of Bantag, he even sought the inhibition of the DOJ’s panel in the investigation as he claimed that the charges against him are under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman.
The panel of prosecutors have yet to resolve Bantag’s motion for inhibition.
Those named as Bantag and Zulueta’s co-respondents in the Mabasa case are BuCor inmates Denver Batungbakal Mayores, Alvin Cornista Labra, Aldrin Micosa Galicia, and Alfie Penaredonda.
While, in the Villamor case, their co-respondents are BuCor inmates Labra, Galicia, Mario Germones Alvarez, Joseph Medel Georfo, Christam Dizon Ramac, Ricky Lamigo Salgado, Ronnie Pabustan Dela Cruz, and Joel Alog Reyes.
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