Nov. 7 (UPI) — Philippines authorities on Monday implicated the Bureau of Corrections chief in the death of radio journalist Percy Lapid.
The National Bureau of Investigations and the Philippines National Police issued a complaint against Gerald Bantag in the case, who they alleged passed the order to have the broadcaster killed by alleged gunman Joel Escorial.
A suspect riding a motorcycle shot and killed Lapid, whose real name is Percival Mabasa, inside his vehicle on Oct. 3 in Las Pinas City.
“The investigation has brought to light the institutionalization of a criminal organization within the government,” said Eugene Javier, NBI special action investigator. “This will be the cause of many reforms in government.”
The NBI said the order was passed through six layers In an effort to insulate Bantag before it reached Escorial. Those involved in passing along the hit order included gangs at the New Bilibid Prison and Bureau of Corrections deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta.
Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said suspending Bantag from his position helped open up the case against him.
“None of these people would have talked if General Bantag remained as the head of the [Bureau of Corrections],” Remulla said. “The fear of General Bantag is just tremendous and unbelievable from the eyes of these PDLs.”
Philippines authorities charged that Bantag was also behind the death of Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the Lapid hit. Villamor died in detention by suffocation with a plastic bag. Police said the death was an attempt to cover up the plans behind Lapid’s death.
