JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said he received a second surrender feeler from former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag who is wanted in connection with killing of radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and inmate Cristito Palana Villamor last year.
Remulla said he doubts if Bantag is seriously considering giving up.
“There were two feelers sent. One through a Cabinet official and another through one of my friends but it looks like they’re not really serious in surrendering,” Remulla told reporters in a chance interview.
To recall, in April, Remulla said the first surrender feeler was made through a Cabinet official although he also declined to identify the official.
The Mabasa family through its spokesperson Berteni Causing previously said they doubted the surrender feeler, adding it could be another delaying tactic of Bantag.
Bantag and his deputy, Ricardo Zulueta are the subject of arrest warrants issued by the Las Piñas and Muntinlupa regional trial courts in connection with Lapid and Villamor’s killings.
They are also subject of hold departure orders issued by the court to prevent them from leaving the country.
Remulla said the second surrender feeler was made to his friend from law enforcement six days ago, while he (Remulla) was in the United States accompanying the President in his official visit.
He said he believes Bantag and Zulueta are a “package deal.”
“One of the topics being discussed was the place of detention. But we’re amenable to special arrangements to DG Bantag and Mr. Zulueta if that is a problem to them,” he said, adding that their main concern is for the two not to be detained at a BuCor facility.
