Court orders hold-departure order on Bantag, Zulueta over Lapid slay
CONTROVERSIAL suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag (left), the late broadcaster Percy Lapid and Sec Crispin Remulla in file photos
MUNTINLUPA CITY – The hold departure order issued against former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and former Bucor deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta is now officially included in the Bureau of Immigration (BI) system, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said.
Tansingco said the Bureau received the HDO issued by the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court last April 25 in connection with murder cases filed against Bantag and Zulueta in connection with the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid whose real name is Percival Mabasa.
“The HDO was immediately encoded in our centralized system and may be seen by our immigration officers at all ports nationwide,” he said.
“Should they be encountered in any airport or seaport, they will be prevented from departing without prior approval from the courts,” Tansingco said.
In December 2022, the BI also implemented a lookout bulletin order against Bantag and Zulueta, directing all immigration officers to closely report to the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation any attempt by the suspects to leave the country.
