The Police Regional Office Cordillera Administrative Region (PROCOR) has refuted claims that Gerald Bantag, the former chief of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), escaped arrest in Ifugao. Reports indicated a police operation took place in Lamut, but PROCOR confirmed that no arrests were made.
The operation, conducted by the Ifugao Police Provincial Office along with the 15th Special Action Company, aimed to locate Bantag after receiving tips about his alleged presence in the area.
No arrest was made during the operation, meaning Bantag remains at large.
Police Regional Office Cordillera Administrative Region
Lamut Mayor Mariano Bayawagan Jr. previously claimed that Bantag managed to evade capture during the operation. He suggested police had received intelligence that Bantag was hiding out at a poultry farm in Barangay Pugol, allegedly working there incognito.
Bantag faces multiple murder charges related to the October 2022 slayings of broadcaster Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa and inmate Cristito "Jun" Villamor Palaña, who was implicated in the journalist’s murder.
The Department of Justice indicted Bantag and his former deputy, Ricardo Zulueta, in March 2023 for their alleged roles in the killings. While Zulueta died in March 2024, Bantag continues to maintain his innocence.
The ongoing manhunt for Bantag highlights the complexities surrounding high-profile criminal cases in the Philippines, where allegations and political implications often intertwine.