PNP: Manhunt still on vs. Bantag, Zulueta amid archived murder case

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it would continue the manhunt operations to capture former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and his former deputy Ricardo Zulueta even though the court had archived the murder case against them.

“Yun po yung assurance natin na bagamat na-archive yung isa po niyang kaso ay hindi po yun ang magiging dahilan para itigil po natin ang ating manhunt operation,” PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo told reporters in an interview.

(This is our assurance that even though one of his cases was archived, it would not be a reason for us to stop the manhunt operation.)

Fajardo said authorities have been receiving many information regarding the possible whereabouts of Bantag.

“Hopefully po, isa po doon sa mga information ng mga location na sinasabing posibleng kinaroroonan niya ay mag-positive po,” she said.

(Hopefully, one of the information on the possible location of Bantag will be positive.)

The Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 archived the case against the two in connection with the killing of New Bilibid Prison inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in broadcaster Percy Lapid’s slay.

It noted that the archived case is subject to revival.

The Department of Justice has offered a P3 million cash reward to anyone who can provide information on Bantag and Zulueta, who both remain at large despite the issuance of an arrest warrant against them.

Bantag and Zulueta are the alleged masterminds in the killing of Lapid and Villamor. Both have since denied the allegation.

Justice officer-in-charge Raul Vasquez said archiving the case was only part of the process.

“Kasi kung ang isang akusado po ay wala sa jurisdiction ng korte, hindi po puwedeng tumakbo ang prosekusyon, ang trial. Ang first crucial act is the fact that the accused, the person of the accused is subjected within the jurisdiction of the trial court,” he said at a media briefing.

(When an accused is not under the jurisdiction of the court, the prosecution or the trial cannot resume. The first crucial act is the fact that the accused is subjected within the jurisdiction of the trial court.)

Vasquez said failure to archive a case may cause administrative problems in the courts’ dockets. 

Lapid was shot dead in Las Piñas City on October 3, 2022.

Villamor, meanwhile, died at the NBP on October 18. An autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun showed that his remains had a “history of asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation.”

Earlier, the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court sentenced three NBP inmates to two to eight years in prison as accessories in the Lapid killing.

The broadcaster, whose real name was Percival Mabasa, was the host of the online broadcast program "Percy Lapid Fire" at DWBL 1242 and a columnist for Hataw.

A relative of the victim said Lapid was on his way home to do an online broadcast at the time of the incident.

However, before reaching home, Lapid was shot several times by the two suspects who followed him. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News