Remulla says Bantag sent another surrender feeler

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday confirmed that he received a new "surrender feeler" from former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag.

Bantag is one of the alleged masterminds behind the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid and alleged middleman Jun Villamor.

Remulla, however, said he is not convinced that Bantag will finally surrender because this is already the second time he has expressed his intention to face authorities. 

"One is enough. If he doesn't do it, it's over, right? The NBI will know. NBI is the only one we rely on. We have a tracker team," said Remulla in a report on "24 Oras".

The former BuCor chief first sent surrender feelers back in April. Back then, Remulla said Bantag spoke to one of his colleagues in the Cabinet and that he would follow up on the offer with his colleague.

“That’s why we are not pushing for law enforcement to hurry up the process. But of course, it is the job of law enforcement still to enforce the warrant of arrest,” Remulla previously said.

A Muntinlupa court ordered the arrest of Bantag on April 12, 2023. 

On March 14, the Department of Justice panel of prosecutors indicted Bantag and former BuCor deputy officer Ricardo Zulueta Zulueta for two counts of murder over the killing of Lapid and Villamor. —Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News