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PNP Chief PGen. Nicolas Torre answers questions during an interview inside the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City on June 4, 2025. Alexis Carlo Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Michael Delizo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174910442028820250604-gen-torre-nicolas-AC-7.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="PNP Chief PGen. Nicolas Torre answers questions during an interview inside the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City on June 4, 2025. Alexis Carlo Corpuz, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">PNP Chief PGen. Nicolas Torre answers questions during an interview inside the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City on June 4, 2025. <em>Alexis Carlo Corpuz, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III said Wednesday that authorities already have leads on the whereabouts of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag, who is facing murder charges.</p><p>Torre said there are <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/1/27/pnp-says-there-are-indications-bantag-is-just-in-ph-1706">no records indicating that Bantag has left the country</a>, and intelligence operations are underway to track him down.</p><p>“Meron tayong leads regarding that matter kung saan siya nagtatago at tayo ay naglalagay ng resources para siya ay mahanap at maaresto,” Torre said in an interview with DZMM.</p><p>(We have leads on where he is hiding, and we are allocating resources to find and arrest him.)</p><p>Bantag has continued to evade arrest since he was tagged as the alleged mastermind behind the killing of broadcast journalist Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa.</p><p>Mabasa was shot dead near his home in 2022 after allegedly posting online commentary linking Bantag to corruption.</p><p>Bantag has been wanted by Philippine courts since 2023.</p><p>Torre also vowed to pursue other high-profile fugitives, including former Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque and former police Lieutenant Colonel Rafael Dumlao III.</p><p>He said efforts to apprehend wanted individuals are ongoing, a campaign he has led since his time with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/2/pnp-chief-torre-presses-roque-to-return-face-trafficking-case-1321">PNP chief Torre presses Roque to return, face trafficking case</a></div><p>“Nakita niyo naman panghuhuling ginagawa natin ‘pag high profile eh — ginagamitan natin ng intelligence talaga at saka kung may resistance eh di talagang ginagamitan din natin ng puwersa para hindi na sila makapalag. At the end of the day, mahuhuli natin sila at mapadala kung saan sila dapat dalhin,” Torre said.</p><p>(You’ve seen how we conduct arrests of high-profile targets — we really rely on intelligence, and if there is resistance, we use force to subdue them. At the end of the day, we will catch them and bring them where they should be.)</p><p>Torre was recognized for leading the operation to arrest televangelist Apollo Quiboloy when he served as director of the Davao Regional Police prior to his promotion as CIDG chief.</p><p>As CIDG director, he also led the serving of an arrest warrant against former President Rodrigo Duterte before he was turned over to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity.</p><p>Meanwhile, Torre defended the controversial arrest of Duterte amid public criticism.</p><p>“Until now, I really insist that we did everything by the book. We did everything by the ambit of the law. Now, kung may mga nagsasabing otherwise, gaya halimbawa ng Senate Committee on Foreign Relations… hihintayin natin kung ano&#x27;ng sasabihin ng Ombudsman regarding that matter because hindi masasabi ng Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, ng chairman, na tama siya because she&#x27;s not a judge. And ang kaniyang na-find out, ang mga sinabi sa mga report na &#x27;yon ay mga opinyon niya rin lang,&quot; Torre said.</p><p>(Until now, I really insist that we did everything by the book, within the scope of the law. If others say otherwise — for example, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations — we will wait for the Ombudsman&#x27;s decision. The committee chair cannot claim she’s right because she’s not a judge. What she found in those reports were also just her opinions.)</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k_u-hnkNCkA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III said that authorities already have leads on the whereabouts of former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag, who is facing murder charges and remains at large.</p>

PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III said that authorities already have leads on the whereabouts of former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag, who is facing murder charges and remains at large.

PNP chief Torre vows to catch ex-BuCor chief Bantag, Harry Roque

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PNP chief Torre vows to catch ex-BuCor chief Bantag, Harry Roque

Michael Delizo,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 05, 2025 02:39 PM PHT

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Nicolas Torre III

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