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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider CA junks ex-BuCor chief Bantag's plea to dismiss murder case for 2022 killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid

CA junks ex-BuCor chief Bantag's plea to dismiss murder case for 2022 killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid

Published Jun 24, 2024 07:43 am

The Court of Appeals (CA) has dismissed the petition of former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gerald Q. Bantag who challenged the filing of a murder case against him for the Oct. 3, 2022 killing of radio broadcaster Percival M. Mabasa, who was also known as Percy Lapid.

The murder case against Bantag on Percy Lapid’s killing was filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) before the Las Pinas City regional trial court (RTC).

Bantag had also been charged before the Muntinlupa City RTC with murder for the killing on Oct, 18, 2022 of person deprived of liberty (PDL) Cristito Villamor Palana, the alleged middleman in the Percy Lapid killing.

Both trial courts had issued arrests order against Bantag and his co-accused. Bantag has remained at large.

In a four-page resolution, the CA affirmed the orders issued by the Las Pinas City RTC which denied the motion to quash the charge and the warrant of arrest issued on the Percy Lapid murder.

Before the Las Pinas City RTC, Bantag sought the dismissal of the murder case and the lifting of the arrest order.  He claimed that the panel of DOJ prosecutors did not have the authority to file the case and that the RTC has no jurisdiction over the crime charged. He also claimed that it is the Sandiganbayan which has jurisdiction since he was a government official being BuCor director general at the time of the alleged offense.

When the Las Pinas RTC dismissed his pleas, Bantag filed a petition before the CA.

In dismissing outright the petition, the CA – in a resolution written by Associate Justice Ronaldo Roberto B. Martin and concurred in by Associate Justices Fernanda Lampas Peralta and Alfonso C. Ruiz II – said that Bantag’s petition failed to follow procedural rules on the filing of a petition for certiorari.

The CA said that Bantag failed to secure the conformity of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in filing the petition.

Citing a ruling of the Supreme Court (SC), the CA said: “In any criminal case or proceeding, only the OSG may bring or defend actions on behalf of the Republic of the Philippines, or represent the People or State before the SC and the CA.”

“This is explicitly provided under Section 35(1), Chapter 12, Title III, Book III of the 1987 Administrative Code of the Philippines,” it said.

It also pointed out: “More significantly, in the Manual for Prosecutors, Sections 12.5 and 12.6, Chapter XII  thereof requires that all requests to file petition for certiorari shall be first coursed through the office of the prosecutor general for evaluation and approval prior to endorsement to the OSG.”

“The said procedure along with the non-conformity of the OSG on the filing of instant petition for certiorari calls for the outright dismissal of the petition,” the CA ruled.

 

 

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