A LAS PIÑAS court issued on Friday, April 14, 2023, arrest warrants against former Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) director Geral Bantag, former Bucor deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta and three others over the killing of broadcast journalist Percy Lapid.
The arrest warrant was issued by the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 254 against Bantag, Zulueta who were tagged as the brains behind the killing of Lapid and Israel Dimaculangan, Edmond Dimaculangan and a certain Orlando who were named as among the suspects in the actual execution of the victim.
Bantag and Zulueta also have standing arrest warrants over the death of Jun Villamor, a New Bilibid Prison (NBP) inmate who allegedly served as the middleman in the killing.
Lapid was shot dead while driving on his way home in Las Piñas on October 3, 2022.
Villamor was found dead in his cell inside the NBP on October 18, hours after Joel Escorial turned himself in to the authorities and admitted serving as the gunman in Lapid’s slay.
Escorial later identified Villamor as the person who called him up and ordered the killing of Lapid in exchange of P550,000.
Although an autopsy examination on Villamor’s body showed that he died of natural causes, another examination revealed that he has a history of asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation.
Before he died, Villamor was able to send his last message to his sister in Leyte informing her about who might kill him as well as those involved in Lapid’s killing.
Earlier, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said evidences were pointing at Bantag as the brains behind the death of Lapid and Villamor.
Bantag earlier denied the accusations against him.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said they are now conducting a manhunt operation against Bantag and the other suspects. (SunStar Philippines)