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Bantag plan for NBP land deal probed
By J.Lo
“I already asked my staff to study all possible cases,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in press briefing respondent in killing of popular broadcaster, suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag is facing another case, this time in connection with joint venture agreement for commercial development of New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
Remulla’s staff is looking into the deal Bantag made with ATOM, the land developer responsible for unexplained diggings discovered inside sprawling NBP compound. Bantag and his deputy at BuCor, Ricardo Zulueta, are prime suspects in the slaying of Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and NBP inmate Jun Villamor, the alleged middleman in the Lapid slay case.
“The giant swimming pool was not in the budget of BuCor…as to who funding it…we’ll have my staff study all possible violation of laws,” he said.
Remulla said Bantag submitted plan to develop NBP to then-president Rodrigo Duterte under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law.
“Definitely, there is a process to be followed when you want joint venture on government property…apparently, it was not followed…for ATOM to remain in the premises and participate in the digging is another matter,” he said.
Bantag claimed deal with ATOM was “win-win” situation, since the firm will donate 234-hectare property in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija, as the site for a new national penitentiary, in exchange for the development of the present NBP.
Bantag said BuCor will also get 35 percent of earnings in development of NBP property.
Remulla said documents show that the project was rejected by former Justice secretary and now Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, who also recommended its disapproval to former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Because project falls under BOT Law, it requires presidential approval.
Remulla admitted that Bantag had told him about the project but never submitted supporting papers or documents.
“The DoJ is not project bound…we want proactive measures to improve prison system…lipat mo lang ‘yan, without improving anything, there would be the same problem,” he said.
Earlier, Bantag received copy of subpoena in the Mabasa and Villamor cases, two days before preliminary investigation was to start.
Bantag’s lawyer Rocky Thomas Balisong went to the DoJ office to get copy of subpoena.
Balisong said his client is determined to face allegations against him. He met with Bantag in Baguio City over the weekend to discuss their legal strategy.
The subpoena compels Bantag to appear at the DoJ building in Manila on November 23 and December 5.
He must submit his counter-affidavit to be sworn before DoJ panel handling the case made up of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Charlie Guhit, Deputy State Prosecutor Olivia Laroza-Torrevillas and Senior Assistant Prosecutor Josie Christina Dugay.
The subpoena was first served at Bantag’s last known address in Caloocan City on November 15, but no one was around to receive it.
Remulla, meanwhile, refused to believe reports that Zulueta is dead.
“I had information a week ago on where he was at least,” he said.
Zulueta allegedly received orders from Bantag to seek the help of gang leaders imprisoned at the NBP in arranging murder of Mabasa and Villamor.
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