Murder raps vs town mayor, others dismissed

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – Lawyer Jomax Ortiz said the four counts of murder filed against Mayor Ella Garcia Yulo of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental; Vice Mayor Adrian Ian Villaflor, some members of the Sanggunian Bayan, former Isabela town Mayor Joselito Malabor, Vice Mayor Renato Malabor Jr. and several others were dismissed for insufficient evidence.

Ortiz is the legal counsel of the accused.

The charges were filed on March 16, 2020 by families of the four men who were killed in Moises Padilla town from 2016 to 2018.

The separate murder complaints were filed before Negros Occidental Provincial Prosecutor Ma. Christy Uriarte on March 13 and 16.

The complainants were Agustin Grande III, Ruby Caminade, Marilyn Bañares-Amable, and Leny Ruales.

According to the complainants, they filed the cases with the emergence of witnesses who claimed to have personal knowledge of the killings.

The victims were Rusty Caminade, Jose Joerito Amable, Michol June Ruales, and Magdaleno Grande who were killed in separate incidents in Moises Padilla.

The New People’s Army claimed to have been behind the killings.

The respondents were alleged to have “connived” with the assailants in the killing of the victims.

When reached for comment, former Isabela Joselito Malabor said that he is thankful to the provincial prosecutor for investigating the case fairly.

He said this strengthened the trust of the public in the justice system.

The former mayor also said he is thankful to his family and supporters who prayed for the dismissal of the cases ” for they know we are not capable of doing it.”