‘Kalinga tribe only protects fellow tribemates, and former BuCor Chief Bantag is not an iKalinga’ – PNP Kalinga on Gen. Catapang’s claim

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Amid claims that the Kalinga tribe is protecting former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Chief Gerald Bantag, the Kalinga Police Provincial Office (KPPO) clarified that Bantag does not belong to the Kalinga tribe, as he is of mixed Ifugao and Benguet heritage.

Bantag was declared a fugitive in 2023 after being indicted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) over the killing of radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa in 2022 and the alleged middleman Cristito Palana Villamor alias Jun Villamor. The court ordered his arrest in connection with the case.

The DOJ also offered a P2-million bounty for his immediate arrest.

On December 27, 2025, national media reported that BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. claimed Bantag is currently hiding in Kalinga, where he has become like a “folklore figure,” with his tribe allegedly protecting him.

“In tribal culture, whether you are right or wrong, the tribe protects you. That is why authorities are careful to avoid a violent confrontation,” Catapang was quoted as saying, adding that authorities are considering the possibility of arresting Bantag outside Kalinga to avoid triggering violence.

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera, KPPO Spokesperson PCapt. Ruffy Manganip denied that Bantag is in the province. He clarified that the Kalinga tribe only protects their fellow tribemates, and Bantag does not belong to any Kalinga sub-tribes, as he is a mix of Ifugao and Benguet.

Manganip added that Bantag had been in Kalinga prior to being linked to the death of Percy Lapid, as many iKalingas are members of Igorot Warriors International, Inc. (IWI), a Filipino sectoral organization representing the Indigenous Peoples of the Cordillera region, of which Bantag is also a member.

“Bantag is not from the Kalinga tribe. He is from Tinoc, Ifugao and Benguet; he is mestizo. He is not being protected. The only people who are protected are your fellow tribemates. How can the Kalinga tribe protect him when he is not Kalinga?” Manganip explained.

Meanwhile, proceedings for the murder case against Bantag will resume once he is arrested or surrenders. His case was archived by the Las Piñas City Regional Trial Court in June due to lack of progress because of his continued absence.