• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A resident of Escalante City, Negros Occidental, who previously ran for mayor, is facing two counts of violation of Presidential Decree 1689 for syndicated estafa.
Je-ar Escares, 36, was arrested on Aug. 13 at Sitio Sinambulong 2, Barangay Mabini, Escalante City, by virtue of an arrest warrant.
Another arrest warrant for similar charges, issued by San Carlos City Regional Trial Court Judge Arville Guyod Delgado, was also served to him on Aug. 18, at the police detention facility at Circumferential Road in Barangay Hacienda Fe, Escalante City.
PLt. Col. Albert Sy, Escalante City police chief, said that numerous complaints were aired against Escares, who was tagged as a local leader of Alpha Omega World Development Program, even from his members.
Initial police investigation showed that members of the group were promised a five-hectare land in exchange of payment for their monthly dues.
The group led by their founder, Tiburcio Villamor Marcos Tagean Tallano IV, has members all over Negros Islands and other areas of the country.
Following his arrest, the Escalante police also discovered diggings in Sitio Sinambulong 2, Barangay Mabini, which will reportedly be used as the hiding place of Escares.
Escares, who is now detained at the police custodial facility, was also denied bail by Judge Delgado.
Sy said that additional charges for attempted homicide and direct assault upon person in authority were also filed Escares, after he tried to shoot the arresting police officers. | GB
