25-6-2023 (MANILA) The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has not received any information regarding the whereabouts of fugitives Gerald Bantag and Ricardo Zulueta, despite a P3-million bounty offered for their capture.
NCRPO Chief Maj. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo stated that the agency continues to deploy tracker teams and monitor the addresses associated with Bantag and Zulueta. However, no leads or tips have been reported thus far.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) previously announced a P2-million (S$48,000) bounty for former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Bantag and a P1-million (S$24,000) bounty for BuCor security officer Zulueta. The two individuals are wanted in connection with the killing of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and Cristito Palana Villamor, an inmate at the new Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
Villamor was allegedly the middleman who hired self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial to carry out the murder of Lapid.
“Our tracker teams have not received any tips yet. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that the rewards will yield results. They could be instrumental,” Okubo shared with The STAR.
He expressed confidence that the bounty would expedite the capture of the two fugitives by fostering a “whole-of-nation” approach to the manhunt. The increased incentive might encourage individuals with information about their whereabouts to come forward.
Okubo assured the public that the NCRPO would thoroughly verify any information provided to the police.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla previously stated that making the manhunt public would enhance the chances of apprehending the fugitives. Remulla believed that both Bantag and Zulueta were still in the country, specifically within Luzon.
To prevent Bantag and Zulueta from fleeing the country, the DOJ, through the Bureau of Immigration, has issued hold departure orders against them.
Although Bantag had expressed his intention to surrender twice in the past two months, he has failed to turn himself in to face the charges.
Okubo refuted speculation that Bantag had accomplices within the police force aiding him in evading arrest, emphasizing that such claims had no foundation. He assured the public of the professionalism and integrity of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
He also revealed that the movements and plans of the NCRPO’s manhunt team were compartmentalized and that its members were selected carefully. Therefore, it would be challenging for any police personnel to inform Bantag or assist him in evading authorities.
The DOJ had previously alleged that Bantag was receiving tips enabling him to evade authorities, citing his alleged “network” within the police force and other law enforcement agencies. However, the PNP has countered this claim, asserting that Bantag was never a police officer.
Percy Lapid was fatally shot in Las Piñas City in October 2022. Joel Escorial, the self-confessed gunman, subsequently surrendered to authorities and implicated his accomplices involved in the murder, including Villamor, who passed away while incarcerated at the NBP.
