• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Regional Trial Court Branch 64 in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental has dismissed the murder charges filed against several Moises Padilla officials and civilians in Negros Occidental.
In a decision dated Feb. 28, Acting Presiding Judge Ma. Anna Priscila Pareja granted the motion of respondents Vice Mayor Adrian Villaflor, Councilor Vincent Bryan Garcia, Quintin Remo village chief Felisa Villaflor and her husband Jonathan Villaflor, and former Councilor Jose Morito Flores to dismiss the case due to the apparent lack of interest from the private prosecutors and the complainant to pursue it.
Garcia is the nephew of Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo.
The filing of murder charges against the respondents stemmed from the killing of then Councilor Jolomar Hilario on March 31, 2019, which was claimed by the New People’s Army Leonardo Panaligan Command.
Hilario, who was running for reelection in the May 2019 polls, was murdered at his home in Moises Padilla.
Following the dismissal of the charges, the court ordered the release of the accused from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility in Bago City.
At the same time, the court directed that their bail bonds be returned upon presentation of receipts.
Also cleared of similar charges earlier were Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo, former Isabela Mayor Joselito Malabor, and 11 others persons.
The private complainant and his legal team were also given 30 days to reimburse the expenses incurred by the accused and their counsel.
Failure to do so would result in contempt charges, Pareja said.
During the May 2019 elections, Moises Padilla was placed under the control of the Commission on Elections due to election- related violence. | GB
