Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Monday that three bloggers will be charged in court for the interview on their YouTube channels of fugitive former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gerald Q. Bantag.
Remulla said he will have these bloggers cited in contempt before the courts where Bantag is facing murder charges. Remulla did not identify the bloggers.
“They have shown disrespect to the courts,” Remulla said after learning of the interview on YouTube last week.
The Justice Secretary pointed out that Bantag is a wanted person. “There are already court orders for the arrest of Bantag),” he said.
“We are now preparing the complaint for contempt of court against these bloggers who interviewed Bantag),” he stressed.
Bantag had been charged with murder for the death of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa before the Las Pinas City Regional Trial Court (RTC), which had issued an arrest order against him.
Also, Bantag was charged with murder for the death of Cristito Villamor Palana, a person deprived of liberty at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.
Palana was the alleged middleman in the slaying of Mabasa.
The Muntinlupa City RTC had also issued an arrest order against Bantag.