MANILA -- A Muntinlupa court has ordered the arrest of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and former BuCor deputy for security Ricardo Zulueta in connection with their alleged part in the murder of a person deprived of liberty (PDL), Cristito “Jun” Villamor, who is the alleged middleman in the killing of newsman Percival “Ka Percy Lapid” Mabasa last October.
No bail was set by Muntinlupa RTC Br. 206 Judge Gener Gito in his order dated April 12, which was only made public Thursday, for the arrest of Bantag and Zulueta.
Both the accused have claimed innocence in the plot to kill Mabasa and Villamor, which law enforcers said was prompted by a number of exposes made by the newsman.
Mabasa was on his way home in Las Piñas when he was waylaid by gunmen who fired at his vehicle last Oct. 3.
Days later, Jose Escorial surrendered to authorities and claimed to be one of the gunmen, along with brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, adding that they were acting upon instructions from contacts inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa CIty.
A day after Escorial identified Viillamor as one of his NBP contacts, the latter turned up dead behind bars.
An independent autopsy concluded that Villamor died of suffocation from a plastic bag. (PNA)
