MANILA, Philippines: The Department of Justice (DoJ) on Thursday asked for patience in the manhunt for former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Gerald Bantag, saying his arrest would be "just a matter of time."

In a Palace press briefing, DoJ spokesman Jose Dominic Clavano 4th said that authorities have been keeping tabs on Bantag's whereabouts.

"The manhunt against Bantag continues. We have a general idea already of his whereabouts so it's just a matter of time," Clavano told reporters.

"Again with these things, we just have to stay patient – these things don't happen overnight. The wheels of justice, they grind slowly but they grind very finely so we just have to stay patient," he added.

Bantag has been in hiding after being charged with masterminding the killing of radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid, in 2022 and prisoner Jun Villamor last year.

In March last year, a DoJ panel of prosecutors indicted Bantag over Mabasa's killing.

Bantag has also been charged over the death of inmate Hegel Lapinig Samson.

Earlier this month, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was unable to find Bantag in two house raids.

Meanwhile, Clavano said the DoJ was still awaiting the decision of Timor Leste courts on the Philippines' request for extradition of former Negros Oriental representative Arnolfo Teves Jr.

"That operation was a success because when they had arrived in Timor Leste – two hours after their arrival, the arrest of Teves happened. And for them to come home without him is not an unsuccessful operation," Clavano said in the same Palace briefing.

"In fact, it was successful. The only responsibility of the law enforcement, especially the NBI Director, was to have him arrested – so it was a success," he added.

The DoJ official asked the public to be more patient, as the agency must be thorough.

"We have taken every possible step to get this done, and we're at the tail end now. Once he's back in the Philippines, we hope that he will muster the courage to finally face his charges in court," Clavano said.

Teves is tagged in the murder of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and nine other people in March 2023.

The expelled lawmaker eluded Philippine authorities until March 2024, when he was arrested in Timor-Leste while playing golf.

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