Senator Risa Hontiveros (Senate PRIB)

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday, April 13, welcomed the issuance of arrest warrants against former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and Ricardo Zulueta.

‘’This a welcome development that brings us one crucial step closer to achieving justice for the killing of Ka Percy Lapid,’’ Hontiveros said.

She then urged Bantag, being a former law enforcer himself, to cooperate with the authorities and do nothing to frustrate the administration of justice.

‘’I also call on the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to continue and expand their investigation beyond Bantag and Zulueta, to the “Ocho Boys” and all individuals who are allegedly members of the mafia which facilitated Lapid’s murder and other crimes inside the New Bilibid Prison,’’ Hontiveros said.

‘’How far and deep does this network of corruption go? Everyone involved should be held accountable. No sacred cows should be protected, and no stone should be left unturned,’’ she pointed out.

‘’The swift action of the Lapid family to record the anonymous caller attempting to extort from them was critical in helping us expose the involvement of Gen. Bantag. I do hope the NBI and PNP cybercrime units continue tracing the caller, for the safety of the Lapid family,’’ she stressed.

The lady lawmaker expressed hopes that this latest development would help bring some form of relief to the family of Ka Percy Lapid and his supporters, and in the process help dissuade those aiming to harm or kill journalists.