Moises Padilla Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor and Councilor Jimmiedon Plaza, two of the 14 respondents to the 2019 murder case of Councilor Jolomar Hilario, surrendered today, Sept. 1, to Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City.
Villaflor and Plaza, came out of hiding to heed the call of Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo for them to surrender.
The two suspects were immediately turned over by Ferrer to the National Bureau of Investigation for custody.
Ferrer said Villaflor has sent feelers of his intention to surrender.
A week ago, four other respondents to the case, also surrendered to the Moises Padilla Police Station.
They were Moises Padilla Councilor Vincent Garcia, nephew of Mayor Garcia-Yulo, Councilor Jose Moreto Flores, Quintin Remo barangay captain Felisa Villaflor, and her husband, Jonathan.
All respondents strongly debunked the accusations against them.
Hilario, 51, who was running for re-election in 2019, was murdered in his home in Moises Padilla.
The NPA Leonardo Panaligan Command had claimed responsibility for the killing, accusing Hilario of being a military asset.
Renoir Baldovino, NBI-Bacolod chief, said that Villaflor and Plaza will remain under their custody until the court acts on their petition to bail.
Ferrer advised the other respondents to the case, who are at large, to surrender.
“The first step to freedom is to surrender,” Mayor Garcia-Yulo, earlier said.
While he shares the views of Mayor Garcia-Yulo, that the respondents are innocent of the charges, Ferrer said it is up to the court to decide on the case. — GB
