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Kalinga residents deny protecting Bantag
Kalinga police have denied reports that former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag is hiding in their province, refuting claims that the Kalinga tribe is protecting him.
Bantag, indicted for the murder of radio broadcaster Percy Lapid and Cristito Palana Villamor, has been a fugitive since 2023.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has placed a P2 million bounty on Bantag's arrest.
Earlier statements by Bureau of Corrections chief Gregorio Catapang Jr. suggested Bantag was in Kalinga and being protected by the tribe.
Kalinga residents, including Ed Comafay, refute claims by government officials like Jonvic Remulla and Catapang Jr., stating these remarks are harmful and use tribes as scapegoats for failure to arrest Bantag.
Comafay added that officials show a lack of understanding of Cordillera realities, as Bantag does not belong to any Kalinga tribe and has no ancestral roots in the province.
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