Ricardo Zulueta alive and not hiding abroad, says lawyer

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) — Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) former deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta, a suspect in the killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid, is neither dead nor hiding, according to his lawyer.

Zulueta was reported to have been the right-hand man of suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag, who is allegedly the mastermind behind Lapid’s murder.

READ: Suspended BuCor chief’s alleged right-hand man in Percy Lapid slay goes into hiding

Atty. Lauro Gacayan, Zulueta’s counsel, bared in a Facebook post on Friday that his client is alive and had not fled the country.

“Aside from Director General Gerald Bantag, his assistant, Col. Ric Zulueta, was also implicated in the Percy Lapid case. News reports on TV quoted the DOJ (Department of Justice) spokesman saying that Col. Zulueta is already abroad in hiding or possibly dead already,” Gacayan said in his post which included a photo of himself and Zulueta.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. also told the media that Zulueta had gone into hiding.

READ: Authorities receive leads indicating Zulueta is alive, remains in hiding

“I believe that like their earlier allegation against Gen. Bantag that he is ‘in hiding’ is because the people in Baguio told him ‘Matago tago ka General,’ they are again misled this time,” the lawyer said.

“Matago tago ka” is an Igorot phrase which means “to have a long life.” Bantag hails from the Cordillera region.

In his post, Gacayan explained that speculations on his client’s whereabouts may have stemmed from the location of his law office.

Gacayan said that his office is based on Pennsylvania Avenue of Barangay San Francisco in San Fernando City, La Union.

“Not San Francisco, California, USA,” he said.

“Just want to be clear about it,” Gacayan added. “My client is not in hiding abroad or already dead!!!”

Murder complaints have previously been filed against Zulueta and Bantag for the killing of Lapid.

According to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Zulueta — at Bantag’s command — ordered an inmate of Iwahig Prison in Palawan to contact gang leaders within the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) to carry out the kill order on Lapid.

READ: Cases filed vs. suspended BuCor chief Bantag, others over death of Lapid, middleman