Muntinlupa court archives case vs. Bantag, convicts 8 others

MANILA – A Muntinlupa court has archived the murder case filed against former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and his former aide Senior Superintendent Ricardo S. Zulueta in connection with the death of an inmate at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

In a seven-page order dated June 27, Presiding Judge Gener M. Gito of Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 archived the case against Bantag and Zulueta subject to revival once the accused, who remain at large, are apprehended.

In the same order, the court sentenced eight of Bantag’s co-accused to up to 14 years in prison after they pleaded guilty in the death of their fellow inmate Cristito Villamor Palana, also known as Jun Villamor.

Prosecutors said Villamor had been killed to silence him in connection with the murder contract for newsman Percival “Ka Percy Lapid” Mabasa who was gunned down last October.

All eight are already serving sentences for prior convictions. They are Alvin C. Labra, Aldrin M. Galicia, Mario G. Alvarez, Christian D. Ramac, Ricky L. Salgado, Ronnie P. Dela Cruz, Joel A. Reyes and Joseph M. Georfo.

“Considering the pleas of guilty of the present accused, the prosecution was able to prove the guilt of all the accused present beyond reasonable doubt as accomplice for accused Alvarez, Ramac, Salgado, Dela Cruz and Reyes, and as accessory for accused Labra, Galicia, and Georfo to the crime of murder pursuant to Art. 248 in relation to Art. 18 and 19 of the Revised Penal Code,” the order read.

The magistrate sentenced Alvarez, Ramac, Salgado, Dela Cruz and Reyes to imprisonment of up to 14 years while, the rest were sentenced to up to eight years.

“The Court inquired from the prosecution and the private complainant whether they are amenable to the proposal of the present accused to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser offense. The prosecution manifested that it would give its consent to the proposal for plea bargaining if all the accused would enter stipulation of facts,” the judge noted.

“The respective Counsels for the accused manifested that in connection with their proposal for plea bargaining, they are willing to enter into stipulation of the facts,” he added.

Palana has been identified as one of the middlemen who contracted the hitmen who killed Mabasa. The inmate was himself killed after self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial surrendered and identified his alleged contacts inside the penal facility used for the assassination.