THE Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to issue a subpoena to suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag and former deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta requiring them to answer a physical injury case filed in behalf of two prison gang leaders.

The issuance of the subpoena is part of the preparation for the conduct of a formal preliminary investigation into the torture and physical injury cases filed against Bantag and Zulueta.

The two prison officials were earlier charged with two murder complaints before the DOJ in connection with the sensational murders of broadcaster Percy Lapid and middleman Jun Villamor.

Just the other day, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) formally filed charges for violation of the Anti-Torture Act of 2019 and serious physical injuries against Bantag, while Zulueta was sued for violating Presidential Decree 1829 or obstruction of justice.

The two-page complaint was signed by acting BuCor chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. A separate administrative case was also filed against them.

According to “Batang Cebu” leader Jonathan Cañete and “Batang Mindanao” leader Ronald Usman, a drunk Bantag summoned them, along with other gang leaders, to his office last February 1 supposedly to inquire about an inmate who escaped on January 17.

The gang leaders noticed that Bantag was allegedly intoxicated when they were summoned.

Cañete said Bantag approached him with a sword, pressed it on his chest and started cursing.

He claimed that he parried the sword making Bantag overly angry, who then stabbed his leg.

Usman narrated that after assaulting Cañete, Bantag turned his ire on him by stabbing his right hand.

Usman claimed that the incident left his right hand paralyzed.

The next day, they were again summoned to Bantag’s office and a certain “Zulueta” allegedly gave them P50, 000 each to remain silent.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Hector Lawas