Bantag facing new charges
The Department of Justice yesterday said former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag will be facing new charges, this time for physical torture and grave coercion. According to the DoJ, Bantag and former BuCor spokesperson Gabriel P. Chaclag will be charged before the Muntinlupa City metropolitan trial court with grave coercion for allegedly forcing prison personnel to sign a statement that no shooting incident took place at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in 2020. Earlier, the former BuCor top official had been charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of broadcast journalist Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa on 3 Oct. 2022 and Cristito Villamor Palana, a person deprived of liberty at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, on 18 Oct. 2022. The Las Pinas Regional Trial court issued warrants of arrest against Bantag in the Percy Lapid case, and the Muntinlupa City RTC in Palana’s case. Bantag has yet to surrender and remains at large. The DoJ last Monday, 15 May, announced the filing of criminal charges against Bantag and BuCor’s former security officer Ricardo S. Zulueta for the stabbing in 2022 of two persons deprived of liberty at the NBP in Muntinlupa City. “In a resolution dated 02 May 2023, the DoJ State Prosecutors found probable cause to indict respondent Bantag for two counts of physical torture and mental/psychological torture under Section 4(a) and Section 4(b)(2) and/or (12) of Republic Act No. 9745, while respondent Zulueta is charged as an accessory thereof,” said the DoJ. Zulueta, who is also at large, is also a co-accused in the Percy Lapid and Palana killings. The DoJ said its new criminal case against Bantag is based on the preliminary investigation conducted into the criminal complaint filed by IPPF prison officers, namely Lazaro Rafols, Jr., Jer Sahid B. Mojado, Eddie Jimenez, Jr., Richie C. Ganja, Roy B. Gacasa and Asher B. Labrador. The incident of grave coercion allegedly took place at the NBP on 2 March 2020 when complainants were directed to report to Bantag when he was still director general. The DoJ said the complainants got admonished “for the alleged shooting incident that transpired at the IPPF on 1 March 2020, involving complainants and DG Bantag's men who were then detailed at the said facility.” During the incident on 2 March 2020, then DG Bantag, together with Chaclag, allegedly unlawfully coerced, through violence, threats and intimidation, complainant Canja into signing a document stating that there was no shooting incident at the IPPF on 1 March 2020 involving BuCor personnel. The post Bantag facing new charges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CoA calls out Bucor on delayed projects
The Commission on Audit has called out the Bureau of Corrections for failing to closely monitor the implementation of its prison facility projects worth P984.953 million. According to audit findings, the unfinished infrastructure projects were extra jail facilities at all operating prison and penal farms aimed at decongesting the national prisons by providing additional dormitories to accommodate the growing inmate population. The projects, forged in 2019, aimed to provide segregated facilities to reduce jail violence. The projects included building regional prison facilities at the Leyte Regional Prison, and the Iwahig and Davao Prison and Penal Farm. Renovations were also planned at the Correctional Institution for Women, while at the San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm a one-story building was to be constructed. The projects all had a target deadline. On 25 November 2019, the BuCor received a P1-billion Special Allotment Release Order to construct and rehabilitate the prison facilities. However, an audit revealed that as of 31 December, four of the projects remained incomplete, notwithstanding that they had exceeded the extension of completion date. Primary concern Moreover, CoA noted that despite the non-completion of the projects within the agreed period of completion, liquidated damages equal to at least 1/10 of one percent of the cost of the unperformed portion of works for each day of delay were not imposed or deducted from the claims of the contractors, contrary to the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184). State auditors pointed out that failure to effectively oversee the infrastructure projects not only resulted in the delay in their completion but also a delay in providing relief for the congestion at BuCor’s prison facilities for persons deprived of liberty. In response, BuCor explained that the chief of the General Services Division constituted the Inspectorate Team for the Design and Build Project of the BuCor Facility — the team responsible for ensuring efficient and effective project monitoring and site assessment validation through ocular site inspections at the corresponding project sites. Now, the officers concerned, including ex-BuCor director general Gerald Bantag, will be held accountable for the variance in the actual site conditions and the approved project documents. The BuCor said a case has been filed with the Ombudsman for plunder, malversation of public funds and corresponding administrative charges against officials under the previous administration. The post CoA calls out Bucor on delayed projects appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Remulla repeats Bantag surrender call
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday renewed his call for former Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Q. Bantag to surrender and face murder charges. Bantag had been charged before the regional trial courts of Las Piñas City and Muntinlupa City for the killing of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and Cristito Villamor Palana, an inmate tagged as the middleman of the crime. Despite the issuance of warrants of arrest by the RTCs, Bantag remains at large. “He (Bantag) will have a fair trial, just surrender,” Remulla said. The secretary said he has received reports that Bantag has been spotted in Luzon. “There were also reports that he went down to Manila for a while. I think he is back in the north now,” according to Remulla. A P2 million bounty was offered by the Department of Justice to anyone who would be able to provide information that will lead to the arrest of Bantag, though Remulla said he prefers his surrender. “I hope he changes his mind about being a fugitive from justice because it will not do him any good and it is not doing our society any good. We do not want to romanticize people who want to defy the law. | We want people to follow the rule of law because it is the hallmark of a stable society,” Remulla said. “We will not be inventing out of the blue. We will present the evidence that we have, the legal theory that we have developed and then, if the justice system finds him innocent, then he can have his liberty. But if he is found guilty then he has to suffer for it. It’s just that he has to undergo through the process of trial,” he added. The post Remulla repeats Bantag surrender call appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Remulla urges Bantag anew to surrender
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” C. Remulla yesterday renewed his call for former Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag to surrender to face his cases in court. Murder charges have been filed against Bantag before the regional trial courts of Las Pinas City and Muntinlupa City for the slaying of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and Cristito Villamor Palana, a person deprived of liberty and the alleged “middleman’ in the killing of the broadcaster. Despite the warrants of arrest issued by the two RTCs, Bantag has not surrendered or has been arrested. “He (Bantag) will have a fair trial, just surrender,” Remulla said, adding that he has received reports that Bantag has been spotted in Luzon. “But there were also reports that he went down to Manila for a while. I think he is back in the north now,” he said. A P2 million bounty has been offered by the DOJ to anyone who would be able to provide information leading to the arrest of Bantag, though Remulla said he prefers the surrender of Bantag. “I hope he changes his mind about being a fugitive from justice, because it will not do him any good and it is not doing our society any good. We do not want to romanticize people who want to defy the law. We want people to follow the rule of law because it is the hallmark of a stable society,” Remulla said. Remulla issued the assurance that “We will not be inventing out of the blue. We will present the evidence that we have, the legal theory that we have developed and then, if the justice system finds him innocent, then he can have his liberty. But if he is found guilty, then he has to suffer for it. It’s just that he has to undergo through the process of trial.” The post Remulla urges Bantag anew to surrender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DoJ intensifies Bantag arrest efforts
The Department of Justice on Friday stressed that it is already intensifying its efforts to arrest former Bureau of Corrections director general Gerald Q. Bantag who earlier aired his commitment to surrender. DoJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla earlier said that Bantag has been considered a fugitive from justice after two regional trial courts issued arrest orders against him on two separate murder charges. To recall, Bantag was charged for the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” C. Mabasa on 3 October 2022 and Cristito Villamor Palana, an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on 18 October 2022. Palana was tagged by self-confessed gunman Joel S. Escorial as middleman in the killing of the broadcaster. The DoJ chief also disclosed that Bantag has been spotted in the north. “Actually, we have not stopped anybody from arresting him. We are just saying there are surrender feelers,” Remulla said. The two murder cases against Bantag and his co-accused are set to go on trial before the two regional trial courts — in Las Piñas City in the Percy Lapid case and in Muntinlupa City in Palana’s case. Remulla said that it was reported to him that the pre-trial was done on 1 June. Previously, Bantag had aired his surrender feelers to the colleague of Remulla in the Cabinet and a close friend in the law enforcement agency but since then, they have not heard from him. The post DoJ intensifies Bantag arrest efforts appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bantag facing new charges
The Department of Justice yesterday said former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag will be facing new charges, this time for physical torture and grave coercion. According to the DoJ, Bantag and former BuCor spokesperson Gabriel P. Chaclag will be charged before the Muntinlupa City metropolitan trial court with grave coercion for allegedly forcing prison personnel to sign a statement that no shooting incident took place at the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in 2020. Earlier, the former BuCor top official had been charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of broadcast journalist Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa on 3 Oct. 2022 and Cristito Villamor Palana, a person deprived of liberty at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, on 18 Oct. 2022. The Las Pinas Regional Trial court issued warrants of arrest against Bantag in the Percy Lapid case, and the Muntinlupa City RTC in Palana’s case. Bantag has yet to surrender and remains at large. The DoJ last Monday, 15 May, announced the filing of criminal charges against Bantag and BuCor’s former security officer Ricardo S. Zulueta for the stabbing in 2022 of two persons deprived of liberty at the NBP in Muntinlupa City. “In a resolution dated 02 May 2023, the DoJ State Prosecutors found probable cause to indict respondent Bantag for two counts of physical torture and mental/psychological torture under Section 4(a) and Section 4(b)(2) and/or (12) of Republic Act No. 9745, while respondent Zulueta is charged as an accessory thereof,” said the DoJ. Zulueta, who is also at large, is also a co-accused in the Percy Lapid and Palana killings. The DoJ said its new criminal case against Bantag is based on the preliminary investigation conducted into the criminal complaint filed by IPPF prison officers, namely Lazaro Rafols, Jr., Jer Sahid B. Mojado, Eddie Jimenez, Jr., Richie C. Ganja, Roy B. Gacasa and Asher B. Labrador. The incident of grave coercion allegedly took place at the NBP on 2 March 2020 when complainants were directed to report to Bantag when he was still director general. The DoJ said the complainants got admonished “for the alleged shooting incident that transpired at the IPPF on 1 March 2020, involving complainants and DG Bantag's men who were then detailed at the said facility.” During the incident on 2 March 2020, then DG Bantag, together with Chaclag, allegedly unlawfully coerced, through violence, threats and intimidation, complainant Canja into signing a document stating that there was no shooting incident at the IPPF on 1 March 2020 involving BuCor personnel. The post Bantag facing new charges appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bantag to face new criminal case over torture of inmates
Former corrections chief Gerald Bantag will be facing new criminal charges, this time over torture of inmates of the New Bilibid Prison......»»
Bantag urged: Surrender, trust justice system
As they continue to hide from the authorities, the family of slain broadcaster Percy Lapid called out former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and other accused suspects in the journalist’s murder to come out in the open and face charges filed against them in court......»»
EDITORIAL - Come out, face the charges
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DOJ: NPS best venue to settle Lapid murder case
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Lapid murder: Bantag submits counter-affidavit
Suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag has submitted his counter-affidavit in response to the criminal charges filed against him in connection with the murders of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and an inmate of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa......»»
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