(FROM LEFT) Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Supt. Ricardo Zulueta, former BuCor chief Gerald Bantag, and assassinated radioman Percival 鈥淧ercy Lapid鈥� Mabasa. Photo from BuCor/Facebook Page/INQUIRER FILES
A local court on Tuesday issued a hold departure order (HDO) against former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag and his deputy, Ricardo Zulueta, in connection with one of the two murder cases they are facing in the October 2022 killing of broadcaster Percival 鈥淧ercy Lapid鈥� Mabasa.
Judge Gener Gito of the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 issued the HDO at the request of state prosecutors.
Bantag and Zulueta are charged before Gito鈥檚 court with the murder of Cristito 鈥淛un Villamor鈥� Pala帽a, a Bilibid inmate who allegedly served as the 鈥樷�檓iddleman鈥� in the plot to kill Mabasa.
The ends of justice
鈥淭he issuance of hold departure orders is an exercise of the court鈥檚 inherent power to preserve and maintain the effectiveness of its jurisdiction over the case and the person of the accused,鈥� the court said. 鈥淚n order not to frustrate the ends of justice, it is imperative that a hold departure order be issued to prevent accused from leaving the country during the pendency of the instant case.鈥�
The court noted that Bantag and Zulueta had yet to be arrested despite the warrant issued by Gito on April 12.
Two days later, on April 14, Las Pi帽as Regional Trial Court Branch 254 Judge Harold Cesar Huliganga also issued arrest warrants against Bantag and Zulueta, this time in connection with Mabasa鈥檚 murder.
The Philippine National Police failed to locate the accused when it tried to serve the warrants at their known addresses.
On April 20, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Bantag had sent surrender feelers.
鈥擱eports from Abby Boiser and Inquirer Research
搁贰础顿:听Former BuCor chief Bantag sends surrender feelers