MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice offered a P2-million reward Monday for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of former corrections chief Gerald Bantag, who has been accused of being the mastermind in the murder of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid.
A reward amounting to P1 million will be also given to those who will provide information leading to the capture of former Bureau of Corrections deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta, Bantag's supposed right-hand man.
Those with information on the whereabouts of Bantag and Zulueta may contact 0945-483-1058 (Globe) or 0928-416-9585 (Smart).
Both are wanted for the killing of Lapid and inmate June Villamor, who was the alleged middleman in the crime.
Lapid was known for his fierce criticisms of government officials. The 63-year-old was killed by two assailants on a motorcycle at the gate of a private subdivision in Las Piñas City in October 2022.
Villamor was found dead hours after Joel Escorial, the confessed gunman in the Lapid assassination, surfaced.
Aside from murder charges, Bantag also faces plunder and graft complaints over allegations that he rigged a bidding for the construction of three prison facilities worth P1 billion.
He is also facing criminal raps for allegedly torturing inmates. — with reports from Xave Gregorio and Kristine Joy Patag