NBI obtains Zulueta’s fingerprints, photos

March 18, 2024 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has obtained the fingerprints and photographs of Ricardo Zulueta, who was reported to have died last Friday.

Zulueta was formerly deputy security officer of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and one of the principal suspects in the murder of radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa or Percy Lapid in October 2022.

In a text message to The STAR yesterday, Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesman Mico Clavano confirmed that the NBI  was able to secure the photographs and fingerprints with the consent of Zulueta’s wife.

“I will update as soon as the results come in,” Clavano said.

This developed after the DOJ ordered the NBI to look deeper into the death of Zulueta.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla issued the order after a supposed death certificate of Zulueta circulated over the weekend.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that Zulueta, 42, died in a hospital in Dinalupihan, Bataan on Friday.

The PNP report said a relative rushed Zulueta to the hospital supposedly due to “heart failure.”

“Exert greater efforts, act swiftly, delve deep and uncover the truth by all means possible. This calls for action the soonest possible time,” Remulla said in the order.

Zulueta and his superior, former BuCor chief Gerald Bantag, were among those charged for the killing of Lapid on Oct. 3, 2022. Bantag was tagged as the mastermind. Zulueta, who had been in hiding since his indictment, was believed to be able to directly link Bantag to the murder.

Bantag, Zulueta and  several others were also charged for the murder of Cristito Villamor Palana, an inmate in the New Bilibid Prison who reportedly acted as middleman in Lapid’s murder. Palana was killed two weeks after the murder of Lapid. — Daphne Galvez