Bantag gets another 90-day suspension over Palaparan's media interview

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has placed suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag on another 90-day preventive suspension without pay for allowing a news channel to interview inmate Jovito Palparan at the New Bilibid Prison.

The suspension is connected with the agency’s filing of charges of grave misconduct and neglect in the performance of duties against Bantag for his failure to observe procedures regarding the interview of persons deprived of liberty.

According to the DOJ, Bantag approved the request of the SMNI News Channel to interview Palparan on November 15, 2021, at the Minimum Security Compound of the NBP.

It said that the interview did not comply with the BuCor Operating Manual and Department Circular No. 015.

The DOJ directed Bantag to file his answer within 10 days of receipt of the order.

“In view of the foregoing, any request for clarification, bills of particulars, or motions to dismiss which are obviously designed to delay the administrative proceedings shall be considered as an answer and shall be evaluated as such,” it said.

“Failure on the respondent’s part to submit his answer within the prescribed period shall be constructed as a waiver thereof, and this Department shall immediately conduct the formal investigation upon notice,” it added.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Bantag’s camp but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.

JUST IN: The Department of Justice has imposed another 90-day preventive suspension against suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag for allowing the interview of PDL Jovito Palparan | @joahnacasilao pic.twitter.com/pXaNmX1jsD

— GMA News Breaking (@gmanewsbreaking) January 19, 2023

Bantag was suspended in October 2022 following the death of Jun Villamor, the inmate who allegedly acted as the middleman in the killing of Percy Lapid.

Authorities later filed complaints for murder against him over the killings of Lapid and Villamor.

Lapid was shot dead on his way home in Barangay Talon Dos, Las Piñas City, on October 3 while Villamor died at the New Bilibid Prison.

An autopsy by forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun showed the remains of Villamor to have a “history of asphyxia by plastic bag suffocation.” —NB, GMA Integrated News