Philippines
National
'Bantag rushed back to his Laguna house
on info Percy Lapid was taking fotos, videos'
'Bantag rushed back to his Laguna house on info Percy Lapid was taking fotos, videos'
---
Additional evidence would be presented when the Department of Justice (DOJ) starts preliminary investigation on the murder charge filed against suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Q. Bantag for the killing of radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa last Oct. 3.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said on Wednesday, Nov. 9, he was told that Bantag rushed back to his house in Laguna last Sept. 9 because Percy Lapid was taking videos and photos of Bantag’s house and his vehicles.
Last Sept. 9, Remulla said that Bantag was supposed to attend the graduation ceremony at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who took courses provided by the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta.
“It’s a significant lead that he was absent on that day because on that day Percy Lapid went to his house to examine, to take pictures of his house and his vehicles,” Remulla said.
“The narrations given to me (last Nov. 8) are very clear about this matter,” he said.
Bantag, as “principal by inducement,” and several others were charged last Nov. 7 with murder for the killings of Percy Lapid and NBP’s PDL Cristito Villamor Palana who was identified by self-confessed gunman Joel S. Escorial as his “middleman” in the slaying of the radio commentator.
“Actually, this is really for the prosecutors to introduce into evidence about the absence of General Bantag in the Sept. 9 graduation in Bilibid,” he said.
Remulla explained that Percy Lapid had come out with an expose about a “Cinderalla man” which was shown on his program “Lapid Fire” back in September.
He noted that all of the board of trustees of the university were present during the graduation ceremony last Sept. 9.
“They’re all present. These are people who really are doing a great service to the national penitentiary kasi they’re providing college education to many of the inmates who want to do it (because they’re providing college education to many of the inmates who want to do it),” he said.
“’Yung kanyang hindi pagbalik doon is a sign also that he was very mad, he was very, very livid about it (When Bantag did not return there, it is also a sign that he was very made, he was very, very livid about it),” Remulla pointed out.
He then advised that instead of talking to the media, Bantag should face the murder complaints against him that have been filed before the DOJ concerning the deaths of Mabasa and NBP inmate Palana, who was earlier identified as Jun Globa Villamor.
“Face it like a man,” Remulla dared Bantag.
At the same time, Remulla said that Bantag and his co-respondent BuCor’s Deputy Security Officer Ricardo S. Zulueta are still in the country.
“Remember they are government officials. Hindi ka pwedeng umalis ng Pilipinas kapag wala kang travel authority unless they have secured passports which do not reflect their true professions (They can’t leave the Philippines without any travel authority unless they secured passports that do not show their true professions),” he explained.
TAGS: #DOJ #Remulla #Percy Lapid