THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced the creation of a three-man panel of prosecutors that will conduct a preliminary investigation into the murder complaints recently filed against suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and several others tagged in the deaths of broadcaster Percy Lapid and middleman Jun Villamor.

The Journal Group of Publications is withholding the names of the prosecutors for security reasons.

The panel will send the necessary subpoenas, Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said in a message to reporters.

Also, Malcontento disclosed that the cases filed against Bantag et al. will be consolidated with the murder charges previously filed against self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial and three other accomplices.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Philippine National Police (PNP) have filed two cases of murder against Bantag and several others that included gang leaders tagged in the sensational twin deaths.

The filing of the cases came to the fore after the NBI and PNP secured persons of interest (POIs) – who are mostly persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) – that provided essential information about the twin killings.

Remulla said that evidence provided by witnesses has pointed to Bantag as the alleged mastermind behind the deaths of Lapid and Villamor.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Hector Lawas