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PNP welcomes move to place bounties on Bantag, Zulueta

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag arrives during an “Oplan Galugad” inside the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City on March 4, 2020. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/06/19/20200304-oplan-galugad-gc-5623.jpg"/><figcaption>Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag arrives during an “Oplan Galugad” inside the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City on March 4, 2020. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday welcomed the government&#x27;s move to place bounties on former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and former deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta.</p><p>On Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) offered a P2-million reward on anyone who could give solid information on Bantag&#x27;s whereabouts, and another P1 million on Zulueta. </p><p>Bantag and Zulueta are both facing murder charges for their alleged involvement in the 2022 killings of broadcaster Percival &quot;Percy Lapid&quot; Mabasa and New Bilibid Prisons inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the hit on Mabasa.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/19/23/p2m-reward-offered-for-info-on-ex-bucor-chief-bantag">DOJ, NBI offer P2M reward for info on Bantag, P1M on Zulueta</a></li></ul><p>PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the rewards were a &quot;big help&quot; to the police and their pursuit of both suspects.</p><p>&quot;Umaasa kami na ito pong reward... will convince and encourage iyong mga tao na maaaring alam yung posibleng kinaroroonan nung 2 suspect na magbigay ng impormasyon para sa madaliang pagkakaaaresto [nila],&quot; she said.</p><p>(We are hoping that this reward will convince and encourage people who know where the 2 suspects are to provide information to us for their immediate arrest.)</p><p>Fajardo also said that the PNP has yet to receive communications from Bantag&#x27;s and Zulueta&#x27;s camps showing their interest in surrendering to authorities, calling on both suspects to turn themselves in as soon as possible.</p><p>She added that the PNP&#x27;s Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) had also created a tracker team for Bantag and Zulueta since warrants of arrest for the 2 were issued.</p><p>The Bureau of Immigration also noted that they have not received reports of the 2 suspects leaving the country.<br/> </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/20/23/doj-says-confident-ex-bucor-chief-bantag-still-in-ph">DOJ says confident ex-BuCor chief Bantag still in Philippines</a></li></ul><p>The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), PNP&#x27;s division overseeing Metro Manila, also welcomed the reward.</p><p>NCRPO Director MGen. Edgar Allan Okubo said the DOJ and NBI&#x27;s move would encourage a &quot;whole-of-nation approach&quot; to capture Bantag and Zulueta.</p><p>“With or without the reward money the PNP especially the NCRPO will continue to track them. The announcement of the reward money will just add to the chance for them being to give information to their whereabouts,&quot; Okubo said.</p><p>For his part, DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said the offer was open to &quot;all citizens who encounter the accused to give information of their whereabouts.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We will liberalize the interpretation of the reward. The reward will be given upon the successful arrest and apprehension of both Mr. Bantag and Zulueta,&quot; Clavano said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;Initially, the goal was to target close-in contacts of the two accused who could give specifics of their whereabout and to turn them against the accused,&quot; he added.<br/> <br/><strong>—Reports from Jeff Caparas and Raya Capulong, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wbt8Lu1U2k4?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The PNP welcomed the government's move to place bounties on former BuCor chief Gerald Bantag and former deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta.